We'll Learn To Love Each Other
by Meags09
Summary: Pre series. Lorelai accepts a proposal from Luke when things get off to a rocky start after she runs to Stars Hollow with baby Rory. It's just platonic, though, right? COMPLETE
1. There's A Room Where The Light

_Dear Emily and Richard: We don't belong here, we're going somewhere else. I'll call you when we get there. Love, Lorelai._

* * *

There wasn't one defining incident that made Lorelai choose to run.

There'd been a lifetime of disapproving glares, unfair expectations, and constant disapproval, all leading to the moment when she placed her infant daughter in her crib and grabbed her duffle bag. She tossed it on the bed, and began jamming as much as she could inside, wrinkles be damned. It was easy to travel light, since there were so few possessions in her room that she considered truly _hers_. The awful twinsets and brocade jackets could stay; the Bangles t-shirt her friend had smuggled in for her was shoved in. She stuffed in all the diapers she could fit and some of the less frilly baby clothes.

Tossing the strap over her shoulder, she picked up Rory, swinging her around to rest on her left hip. God, she was such an easy baby. How did she get so lucky? Rory's big blue eyes looked up at her, complete trust and adoration in them. She didn't want to see that spark snuffed out of her. She wanted her _own_ spark to return, and to be finally be freed from this purgatory. She was done deferring to her mother's decisions about her own child, like she was some kind of moron who didn't know how to handle a baby.

With Rory safely tucked against her, she began to creep quietly down the stairs, pausing every few minutes to make sure no one could hear her. As she entered the foyer, she spotted her mother's purse on the table. Lorelai snorted to herself. The maid that didn't put _that_ away would be fired, for sure. With another furtive glance, Lorelai quietly opened the bag, and extracted her mother's wallet. She pulled out several twenty dollar bills, then quietly placed it back where it was. The maid was already going to be fired, she reasoned to herself. What was one more transgression?

She stopped in front of the heavy front door, twisting her head back to look at the stroller, which was parked in its usual spot by the stairs. It would be helpful to have it, but at the same time she wasn't sure if she could fit the giant thing on a bus. After a few seconds of debate, she decided to take it anyway. If nothing else, she could leave it behind, just like everything else. She settled Rory into the seat, buckling her in as if by rote, then pushed it out the door.

They were halfway down the driveway before Rory made a peep. "Mama?" she chirped, the word curling up at the end like a question.

"Shh, baby," she whispered, bending over the stroller's canopy to catch a glimpse of her daughter. "Mama is taking you away from all this. You and me, we're going to have a great life. I promise." With determination, she squared her shoulders and began walking at a brisk pace, the duffle bag slapping against her backside with every step, the stroller's wheels crunching on the pavement.

Union Station was a fairly long walk from the gated community that her parents lived in, and she passed by so many stately homes she was beginning to think she would never make her way out. She'd taken Rory for some leisurely strolls around the neighborhood before, winding in and out of the curved roads, and dipping in and around various culs-de-sac, but she'd never left her own neighborhood by foot. Even when she had been sneaking out at night, in her previous life as a non-mother, there was always an expensive car at the ready to whisk her away.

Nearly 45 minutes later, she could see the bus station's historic brownstone walls through the trees lining the streets. She picked up the pace a little, hurrying along the sidewalk. She didn't know how long she had before her parents even noticed she was missing. If they didn't see the note until after their function, she'd have even longer, but that was no guarantee. Her mother had an eagle eye to spot even the tiniest change in her environment, and she gave her mere seconds upon entering the dining room to discover it.

She pushed the stroller up to the ticket window, huffing a bit from exertion. "When's the next bus?" she asked the woman behind the plexiglass.

"Fifteen minutes," she replied, looking bored.

Lorelai was relieved. She didn't want to have to wait too long to leave Hartford. "Where does it go?"

"South," was the terse reply.

Lorelai stamped her foot impatiently. "I mean, what town is the furthest stop?"

"Uhh..." The woman turned around, her finger tip sliding down a list that was taped to the wall behind her. "The 19 goes to Stars Hollow," she replied.

"Stars Hollow? That sounds pretty." She looked down at Rory, who by now had stuck her thumb in her mouth. She gave the baby's shoes a squeeze, and turned back to the ticket booth. "We'll go there."

The woman hesitated. "Do your parents know where you are?" she asked.

"I'm 18," she lied. "I'm an adult." Shaking her head, the woman printed out the ticket and took Lorelai's money. Lorelai pushed the stroller toward the passenger loading area with one hand, while the other gripped the duffle bag strap and the bus ticket. With a wince, she realized suddenly that even if the driver allowed the stroller on, there was no way she could carry her bag, her baby, _and_ the stroller. She pushed it toward one of the benches, where she dropped her duffle to dig around inside, looking for a piece of paper. She found a beat up copy of _Pet Sematary,_ the only paperback she had taken with her, and ripped one of the blank pages out. Using the pink glittery pen she managed to find in her coat pocket, she scribbled "FREE STROLLER" on the page and secured it beneath the straps after lifting Rory out. She hoped that it would be found by someone who really needed it.

Never one to fuss, Rory settled comfortably against Lorelai's shoulder as they waited for the 19 to arrive. The late September air was cool as afternoon turned to dusk, and a light drizzle began to fall, but the dank awning covering the bench kept them dry. Lorelai lowered herself to it, and they sat quietly until the growl of the bus engine coming into the station signaled its arrival.

Lorelai stood up as the bus groaned and screeched to a stop in front of her. She waited patiently as all the passengers disembarked, and then she carefully went up the metal stairs, trembling slightly as she handed her ticket to the driver. He didn't even look at her as he stamped it, and she moved down the narrow aisles to find a seat.

She stared out the window quietly, watching the headlights from oncoming cars as they lumbered down the highway, veered into exits, and continually screeched to a halt at every stop along the way. She didn't know how far Stars Hollow was from Hartford, but it took over an hour to get there by bus. It was dark out, even though they had left during the dinner hour. The monotonous thump and bump of the bus had lulled Rory to sleep, and she curled up against her mother's chest for the duration of the ride.

Lorelai began to think that they would be on the bus forever, when it wheezed and sputtered to a stop again, and the driver yelled, "Final stop! Stars Hollow!" She grabbed her bag, slid along the seat toward the aisle, then gingerly walked toward the steps to exit the bus, careful not to jostle the sleeping baby.

After the bus pulled away in a puff of exhaust, Lorelai looked around to take stock of her new surroundings. The street was lined with quaint storefronts and colorful awnings, although most of them appeared to be dark and closed up tight for the evening. There were lights strung up around the gazebo in the center of the square, giving it a fairy-tale glow. With Rory's head tucked into the crook of her neck, she took it all in, feeling her spirits rise. She'd only just arrived, and she was already taken by the place. Shaking her head, she tried to snap out of her daze. Practicality called, after all; she needed to find a place to stay the night, so she could begin planning her next move. She couldn't stand in the middle of the sidewalk with stars in her eyes all night. To her left, she spotted a light on in a barn-like structure further along the sidewalk. After ensuring that Rory was still firmly in her grasp, she adjusted the strap of her duffle bag, and headed towards it.

"Hello?" she called, nearing the steps at its entrance. A plump woman with fiery red hair and bright red lipstick poked her head out of the large open door. She had a cigarette holder in her right hand, and took a generous puff before leveling her gaze at the young woman holding a baby.

"Hello, dear," the woman cooed in a husky, sonorous alto. "Are you lost?"

"Well, sort of," Lorelai began haltingly. "I, um, I'm leaving a bad situation and I need a place to stay for the night. I can pay," she added quickly. "I need like a hotel room or something." She felt vulnerable under the stare that the woman gave her, evaluating and direct. She felt herself cowering slightly, which irritated her a little, because Lorelai Gilmore was a lot of things but a coward wasn't one of them. She attempted to straighten her shoulders under the load of sleeping baby.

"The only game in town is the Independence Inn," the woman replied.

"Which direction is it?" she asked.

"It's a bit far to walk," she said, looking at Rory. She clucked. "Especially with such a fragile load."

"Is there a taxi?" Lorelai asked.

The woman pursed her lips. "Hang on a minute, sweetheart." She disappeared inside, and Lorelai waited. She really hoped the woman wasn't calling the cops, but she had to have faith; it was all she had at the moment. Several minutes passed before the woman returned. "I called a friend of mine," she said. "He'll take you to the Inn."

"He?" She gulped, her mind racing with horrible scenarios.

The woman noticed her apprehension, and laughed indulgently. "Oh honey, Bill wouldn't hurt a fly. He has a daughter about your age. Come to think of it, Liz has a baby, too. Maybe if she ever comes back home you could meet her. Sweet girl. Little spacey, but sweet."

Lorelai was about to reply when she heard the rattling of an engine. She turned, and a dark green truck pulled in right beside the building. She saw a tall man, with short grey hair and a trim beard, step out of the truck. He wore a green army jacket and jeans, and Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief. He definitely looked like a dad. She half expected to see Alex Keaton show up at any moment.

"Hey, Patty," he called. "This her?"

"Sure is, honey," she replied.

Bill walked around the truck and stopped short when he saw Rory. "You didn't tell me she had a baby," he said accusingly.

"Does it matter?" Patty asked pointedly.

Bill flushed slightly. "Well, I don't have a car seat thing," he replied.

"The poor girl was planning to walk all the way to the Inn," she said. "Are you going to take her, or do I need to call someone else?"

He rolled his eyes, then opened the passenger door. Lorelai climbed in carefully, trying not to disturb the sleeping infant. Bill tugged at the strap of her bag, then set it down on the floor by her feet. He helped her get the seat belt around the both of them, and then he shut the door.

As he got into the driver's side and started the engine again, Lorelai waved to Patty. She nodded, and smiled sweetly, taking another long drag on her cigarette before she disappeared inside the building.

As Lorelai looked around, she noticed a sign. "Miss Patty's School of Dance," she read out loud. She smiled slightly. That woman hadn't looked _at all_ like what she expected a dance teacher to look like, but she liked the idea of being able to be anything you want, even if you didn't look the part. She was a teenage mother, after all. No one thought _she_ was suitable at first glance, especially her mother. And she was going to prove _everyone_ wrong.

She settled into the seat as they began moving. She noticed that Bill was driving incredibly slowly, probably to offset the less than desirable accommodations for Rory.

"How old is your baby?" he asked, his voice gruff but still friendly.

"She'll be a year old next month," she replied.

He grunted noncommittally. "My grandson just turned a year old."

"Yeah, um, Patty mentioned you had a daughter. Liz?"

"Yeah, Lizzie."

"She doesn't live around here?"

"No, she lives in New York. We keep trying to get her to come home but she won't listen. She's just…" He shook his head, as if he couldn't believe he was talking about it. Lorelai waited for him to continue, but he didn't. The rest of the drive was silent.

Rory was stirring by the time the truck pulled up outside a sprawling white building, the grounds surrounding it landscaped to perfection. "Hey, baby girl," she whispered. Rory yawned in response.

Bill opened the driver's side door and dropped to the ground, looping easily around to the passenger door to help Lorelai down, the baby still firmly tucked into her embrace. He swung her duffle bag over his shoulder and gestured for her to walk up the whitewashed steps ahead of him. She climbed them carefully, Rory's eyes wide open now but still calmly laying against her mother's shoulders, taking in her surroundings with quiet censure.

Bill walked up to the front desk and spoke quietly to the person there, while Lorelai stood around trying not to look to conspicuous. The inn's foyer and main sitting room were ornate, with dark blue walls and cherry wood furniture. The lighting was soft and inviting, and she began to worry that she wouldn't be able to afford a room for the night. She'd probably have to beg for a job first. She had just under thirty dollars left from the money she'd taken from her mother's purse, and maybe an extra fifty from her own savings. Plenty for a Motel 6, but this was plainly not one of those.

"This is Lorelai," she heard Bill say, and turned around to face the direction of his voice, urging herself to stay calm.

"Hello, dear," said a tall woman, as she walked up to them. Her greying hair was cut short, and she carried herself with elegance and grace. "I'll take this," she said to Bill, and he handed over the duffle, slipping it over her shoulder with ease. "Say hello to Lucas for me, would you?" she added.

"Will do," Bill replied. "Night, Mia."

Mia turned her attention to the girl holding a baby in front of her. "My name is Mia Bass," she said warmly, resting a hand on Lorelai's shoulder. "I own the Independence Inn. Why don't we go into the dining room and chat?"

Lorelai followed her into the spacious room and sat down carefully at the table that Mia gestured toward. Mia placed the bag next to Lorelai's feet and moved to sit across from her. A waiter came by and Mia ordered some coffee and asked for some soda crackers for the baby. Only a moment later, packages of crackers were set in front of her and Mia picked up the steaming carafe and poured some coffee into her cup. "Would you like some coffee?" Mia asked politely.

"Yes, please," Lorelai said. Rory twisted around in her mother's lap to face toward the table as Lorelai unwrapped the crackers from their cellophane packaging.

"So what are your plans, dear?" Mia asked, as Lorelai handed a cracker to Rory.

"I'm here for a job, any job," she said quickly. She thought a moment. "And a place to stay. I have some money, but it's going to be tight."

Mia took a long sip from her coffee cup, her eyes appraising the teen in front of her. "Can you make a bed?"

"Um, yes?" Lorelai said hesitantly.

Mia smiled. "Why don't we try it out for two weeks, and see how it goes? I always need maids. Such high turn around for those positions."

"Oh, I know all about that," Lorelai mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Oh, well, my mom has always had a hard time hanging on to help," she said vaguely.

"Your mom?"

"Yeah." Lorelai didn't want to explain. She didn't want this kindly woman to send her back. She figured once she discovered the truth, her great escape was as good as over.

"More!" Rory cried excitedly, reaching her hand out for another cracker. Lorelai handed one to her, and she bit into it enthusiastically.

"She's adorable," Mia said warmly. "And she talks really well for such a young child."

"I know, she's amazing," Lorelai said proudly. "She turns one on October 8th."

"Ok, so here's what I propose." Mia stood up, and reached for the carafe. "More coffee?"

"Yes, please," she said, holding out her mug.

Mia poured the steaming liquid. "You can stay with me, in my spare room, for a few days. But that's not a viable long-term solution, so I'll have the potting shed out back fixed up for you. It's not much, but you'll be warm and dry, and it'll be a short walk to work in the morning."

"What should I do with Rory?" she asked.

Mia sat down, considering. "Well, I can watch her for a few days, but I know the Kims run a nursery school out of their church. I can find out how much it is and if they have any openings."

Lorelai felt her heart soaring. This was going to work! "Mia, I am so grateful to you, I can't even express…"

"Don't even mention it," she said, waving her hand. "Now, I need to take care of a few things, so you two finish eating and I'll take you to my house."

Lorelai looked at the soda crackers in front of her, wanting to ask for more but already feeling completely indebted to Mia's kindness. Mia noticed where Lorelai's eyes fell, and chuckled warmly. She reached over to a nearby waiter's station and grabbed a menu.

"Anything you like, dear. On me." Lorelai eagerly took the menu and began looking through the crisp typed pages, eventually choosing some gourmet mac and cheese.

"This is my kind of place," she said.

"Well, we cater to a lot of middle class tourists," Mia replied, shrugging slightly. "We like to balance out the foie gras with a fancier version of American classics."

Lorelai and Rory shared the meal, Rory enthusiastically smacking her lips with each bite. She adored the zest for life that Rory had, and every time Rory looked up at her with a wide smile she couldn't help but feel she had made the right choice. For the first time in her entire life, she was paving her own way, and it felt really, _really_ good.

Later that night, Lorelai and Rory were tucked into a twin bed in Mia's guest room. The older woman had apologized profusely about her lack of having a crib, but Lorelai was almost glad she didn't have one. She tucked the baby into her side, and listened to the soft deep breaths coming from her little girl, her tiny fist clutching the shirt that Mia had lent Lorelai to sleep in. She was awake most of the night, staring at the ceiling. She knew she was lucky. She hadn't taken the time to really think through her plan, because she knew if she had, she'd have never left. But now, in the dark, all of the possibilities rushed through her head, making her feel sick to her stomach.

* * *

After the restless night, Mia knocked softly on her door in the early morning. Lorelai dressed and gratefully accepted the breakfast that Mia offered them, and then they left for the Independence Inn.

The Inn was only a few miles from the one-story house Mia called home. Typically, Mia drove to work, but she shared Bill's concerns about the lack of proper seating for Rory, so until she was able to procure a car seat, she insisted they do the short distance on foot.

"Does she walk yet?" Mia asked, looking over at Rory, who had popped a thumb in her mouth and was gazing around at the trees and scant buildings with interest.

"No, she hasn't really had much opportunity to try," Lorelai said, hoisting the baby up into her arms. "My parents had her watched by nannies day in and out while I was in school, and whenever I tried to take her somewhere, they kept coming up with reasons why I couldn't. Behold, the only kid who has never been to a park."

"We have a park in town," Mia said, as they began walking along the road, "It's across from the hardware store."

"Is that near the ballet school?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, right across from it," she said, smiling. "I take it you have met Patricia LaCosta?"

"Is that Miss Patty?"

"Yes, the one and the same."

"She's the one that called, um, Bill?"

"Ah yes, Bill Danes owns the hardware store. He has a daughter about your age, with her own child."

"Lizzie," Lorelai stated.

Mia looked over in surprise and chuckled. "Boy, you are going to fit in very well here in Stars Hollow." Lorelai smiled brightly, feeling very much the same sentiment.

Once they arrived, Mia showed her the cleaning supply room, warmly greeting the woman already inside. She rifled through a closet and produced a pressed maid's uniform, still in its dry cleaning bag. "This should fit you, dear," she said, laying the uniform down on a table. "I'll get Nancy here to show you the ropes today. You should be able to shadow her for a couple of rooms and then maybe try it on your own."

"What about Rory?" Lorelai asked, her gaze going from Nancy back to Mia.

"Hand her to me," Mia said, holding out her arms to take the little girl. "Come to me, sweet pea?"

Rory easily moved from one set of arms to the other, and removed her thumb from her mouth with a pop. "Cracker?" she asked, and both Lorelai and Mia laughed.

"You got it, sweetie," Mia replied. She turned to Lorelai. "I'm going to take her around the Inn but mostly I'll be doing paperwork in my office. Is she old enough to color? I might have some crayons in the dining room."

"Um, I don't know," Lorelai said. "My mother probably thinks coloring is one of the seven deadly sins of childhood. It never came up."

"Well, we'll give it a shot. What do you think, Rory?" Mia turned to address her, but Rory stuck her thumb back in her mouth instead. After entrusting Lorelai to Nancy's tutelage, Mia disappeared down the hallway.

"Hi," Nancy said, sticking out her hand toward Lorelai, who took it nervously. "I'm head of housekeeping. What your name?"

"Lorelai," she replied.

"Great, so Lorelai, I'm going to give you the rundown here." Nancy began detailing everything Lorelai needed to know, about how to stock her housekeeping cart at the beginning of her shift, and then demonstrated where to put things away at the end. Once the cart was ready, she led Lorelai down to a guest room, where she demonstrated how to clean it, explaining everything as she went. Lorelai was slightly overwhelmed from all of the things she would need to remember, but she found that as Nancy urged her to try on her own, it all came back to her easily. She felt so confident, that when Nancy asked if she'd be willing to try it solo, she agreed.

After she finished cleaning room 12, Lorelai went downstairs. She'd missed Rory, and they'd been apart only for a few hours. But when she got to Mia's office, the room was empty. She wandered over to the front desk. "Hey, Louise," she called, getting the woman's attention. "Where's Mia?"

"Oh, she went out back to see how the potting shed was coming along," she replied. Then the phone rang, and her attention was pulled from Lorelai. Thinking that it probably wouldn't be that difficult to find, she wandered to the grounds behind the Inn. As she walked, she saw a few figures in the distance. One appeared to be Mia, and with her were two men, their backs facing her. When she was close enough, she could see one was Bill, and the other appeared to be a young man that resembled the other, except he wore a backwards baseball cap and a flannel shirt. Rory was sitting in the grass, pulling up wildflowers in her chubby fists.

"We need to strengthen the walls," Bill was saying. "That storm is on its way and it won't be the last one."

"Hey everyone," Lorelai said, and all three adults turned to face her.

Rory's face lit up and she cried "Mama!" She held up her arms, wanting to be picked up. Lorelai scooped her up into her arms and buried her face into her neck, blowing raspberries and making the baby giggle.

"So, what's going on?" Lorelai asked the others.

"I've enlisted some help to fix up the potting shed for you and Rory," Mia replied. "It doesn't look like much, but Bill and Lucas are going to make it livable."

"Lucas?" Lorelai asked, her eyes flicking over to the man she didn't recognize. He looked up and met her eyes, and nodded once.

"Lorelai," Bill said, walking over, "this is my son, Lucas. He helps me out at the store." He clapped the young man on the back. "Taught him everything I know."

"Well, great," Lorelai said, looking at each person. "When can we move in?"

Bill stood back, appraising the small shed thoughtfully. "Maybe 2 or 3 days? But you shouldn't move in until after the storm."

"What storm?" Lorelai asked, a niggle of worry settling in her gut.

"Hurricane Gloria is supposed to hit over the weekend," Bill replied, looking unreasonably calm despite the words he'd just uttered.

"Hurricane?" Lorelai repeated, the worry growing.

"We'll have to board up the windows, just in case," Mia said. "You'll all stay at the Inn," she said to Bill. "We have lots of empty guest rooms and it'll be helpful to have us all in one spot. Besides," she added, winking at Lorelai, "it helps to have strapping men around to move fallen trees."

"Sure, no problem," Bill replied, chuckling a little. "We'll be back tomorrow evening after I close the store to get started."

"I really appreciate you doing this," Mia said as the four of them began to walk back toward the inn.

"Yeah," Lorelai agreed. "Thanks."

"No big deal," Bill said. Lorelai glanced over at Lucas, who had his hands in his pockets and hadn't yet said a word. When they reached the back entrance of the Independence, Bill and Lucas continued walking, going around the building towards the parking lot. "Bye, Mia!" Bill called, his hand up in a half wave.

"Bye, Mia," Lucas echoed, imitating his dad's wave.

"He speaks," Lorelai said, after they were out of earshot. Mia chuckled next to her, and opened the door, holding it for Lorelai to walk through.

"He's a quiet one, that's for sure," she said. "Big heart though, just like his dad." They began walking towards Mia's office. "So how was your first day?" she asked, and Lorelai began to tell her about all she had done that day, while Mia nodded encouragingly.


	2. Make A Bad One Good

The next few days passed in a blur to Lorelai. She'd never been so exhausted at the end of the day before, and she practically stumbled alongside Mia every night, drowsily spooned whatever food Mia placed in front of her for dinner, and curled up next to Rory in the twin bed. She slept deeply and dreamlessly, awakened each morning by a gentle knock on the door and the wafting aroma of coffee coming into the room. As the weekend approached, she realized that she was starting to get stronger, feeling more alert and less bone-tired. She felt a new heft to her step, a new strength in her upper arms, that for the past few days had felt like limp noodles.

"All done," she announced to Nancy early Thursday afternoon, pushing her cart back into the supply room.

"Well, that's it," she replied. "I'll see you next week."

"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked, dumbfounded. "Did you get the weekend off?"

"Well, yes and no," Nancy replied, pushing her mop of black ringlets out of her face. "Mia is closing the Independence for the weekend. The storm looks like it's going to hit us dead on."

"Oh, she didn't mention that," Lorelai said. "I mean, I knew about the storm, but I didn't know it was going to be so bad."

"It'll be fine," Nancy replied nonchalantly. "A little wind and rain, maybe some trees will fall. It'll be fine. She said you were going to stay here for the weekend?"

"Yeah, she mentioned something about that," Lorelai said. Darting a glance around them to make sure they were alone, she shifted gears. "Hey, listen. Do you know Bill and Lucas?"

"Lucas?" Nancy repeated. "Oh, you mean Luke. Yeah, I've seen them around."

"I think they are staying here, too," she said.

Nancy looked her over and grinned. "Luke's kind of a hottie, isn't he?"

"Wait, what?" Lorelai said. She furrowed her brow, trying to remember what he had looked like. "Um, I guess so? I was just hoping they weren't going to be weirdos. I mean, I don't know them very well and I'll be spending the whole weekend with them."

"Definitely not weirdos," Nancy replied, smirking.

"Did you know Lizzie?" she asked, unsure why the topic of Bill's wayward daughter was so interesting to her.

"I knew her, yeah. Why?"

"I don't know, it seems like it's all shrouded in mystery." Lorelai tapped her foot against the floor. "Where's Mrs. Danes?"

"Oh, she passed away quite a few years ago," Nancy replied. "She was ill, I don't really know more than that."

"Oh," Lorelai said. "Sad."

"Yeah. Well, you don't have to worry. They're good people. And the storm won't be a big deal, trust me. Everyone is freaking out over absolutely nothing, you'll see."

Despite Nancy's flippant dismissal of the storm, the fact that Mia was closing the Independence for several days did not bode well to her. She wasn't a huge fan of thunderstorms to begin with, and the thought of being the sole person responsible for a baby in the middle of a hurricane made her feel like she'd swallowed a boulder. She hoped they didn't run out of food or water. What if they were trapped here for weeks? She hadn't breastfed Rory since she was a newborn, was it possible to re-lactate?

She tried to shake off her anxiety, and walked back to Mia's office. Rory was sitting on the floor, happily shredding a mountain of Kleenex tissues into strips. Mia nodded to her, the phone pressed to her ear.

"Thank you very much," Mia was saying, and she hung up the phone. She looked over at Rory and shrugged. "At least she's happy." Turning her attention to Lorelai, she gestured for her to sit down in one of the plush chairs in front of her desk. "I just spoke to Jun Kim," she said, as Lorelai sat down. "She said she can make a space for Rory. You'll need to go in and speak to her on Monday in person. She's going to fax the paperwork to me here and we can fill it out and return it. They have a sliding scale for tuition, so I think they'll be able to make it quite affordable for you."

"Oh, Mia, this is wonderful news," Lorelai said happily, the joy displacing a little of her anxiety.

"I think so, too," she replied. "Now, let's get you both settled in the room you'll be sleeping in tonight. I may have found some things for Rory that I want to show you, too."

After they had eaten dinner and sorted out the room situation, Lorelai was sitting in the foyer with Rory, helping her build a tower with some blocks that one of the cooks had given her, when she saw someone walk in out of the corner of her eye. "Hey," she called out, and Luke nodded in her direction.

"Hey," he said, looking down to watch Rory as she attempted to place a block on the top of her unsteady tower. The whole thing fell down and Rory squealed happily and clapped her hands.

"She's going to be an architect," Lorelai quipped, starting a new tower as Rory began handing her the blocks that had scattered. "Or maybe in charge of demolition. Hard to say."

"I can see that," he said dryly.

"Where's your dad?" she asked, looking up. He _was_ a hottie, she decided. A little unkempt, but handsome, with deep blue eyes, a hooked nose, and high cheekbones. His cheeks and neck were covered with a slight stubble that looked more like he had forgotten to shave rather than left it purposely. He wore a pair of faded jeans, a grey t-shirt tucked into them, and an open green flannel shirt. He had a green baseball cap perched backward over his hair, which was curling in the back.

"He's outside, checking on the shed again," he replied.

"Does he think it's going to hold?" The two men had worked several hours, ensuring that the small shed would be strong enough to withstand the wind and rain, barring any giant trees unexpectedly crushing it.

"Yeah, it should," he said, then his attention was caught by Mia walking over to them.

"Lucas," she said warmly, grabbing his hand and giving it a friendly squeeze. "Your dad is checking over that shed again, isn't he?"

"Yes, ma'am," Luke replied.

"I've told you to stop calling me ma'am," she chastised gently.

"Yes, ma- I mean, Mia," he replied gruffly, his cheeks tinged pink.

She held out a key and dropped it into his palm when he held it out. "You and your dad are in room 4." He nodded.

"We'll be neighbors," Lorelai said. "Rory and I are in 3."

He nodded silently, closing his fingers around the keys and heading up the stairs. Lorelai watched him for a moment, then turned her attention back toward her daughter.

For the first night since she'd begun her new career as maid, Lorelai was not completely exhausted when she fell into bed. Instead, she was anxious. She wasn't sure when the storm was supposed to hit, and her nervousness over the impact of the storm was causing her to feel fidgety and slightly nauseated.

Concerned that her restlessness might wake Rory, she slipped out of bed, tucking pillows all around her to prevent her from falling to the floor in the night. Quietly, she crept down the hallway and into the main foyer. It was dark, most of the windows boarded up already. She pressed up against the only non-boarded-up window in the foyer, looking out into the darkness. Some of the trees were fluttering slightly, but still no indication of hurricane-force winds. Sighing heavily, she turned and went to sit on the couch. She moved her legs up and hugged them tightly, resting her chin on her knees.

"I'm not afraid," she whispered to herself. "I'm _not_ _afraid_."

"Lorelai?" she heard a voice ask softly, and she spun around quickly. Luke was standing in the entryway to the sitting room, dressed for bed in dull green sweatpants and a black t-shirt.

"Oh, it's you," she said, somewhat relieved. She didn't know how she would have explained to Mia exactly what it was she was doing down here, muttering to herself.

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking a few tentative steps toward the couch.

"I'm fine," she said flippantly.

"So that wasn't you I heard just now, telling yourself not to be afraid?"

Lorelai blushed. "Must have been your mind playing tricks on you," she said lamely.

"Can I sit?" he asked, gesturing toward the other end of the couch.

"Sure," Lorelai said, shifting over to make enough room. He stretched out his legs, his long body making the couch seem tiny in comparison. For once, Lorelai could see his uncovered arms. He was lean, but she could see some impressive muscles hiding under the taut skin. "Do you play sports?" she asked, her eyes returning to meet his.

He snorted. "Used to, why?"

"You're just all built like a football player," she said, waving her hand in his general direction.

"Hardly," he said. "I ran track and played some baseball. Don't really do either now."

"So what do you do?" she asked.

"Am I being interviewed?" he asked, an eyebrow raised.

She shrugged. "It's taking my mind off the storm."

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Well, I graduated from high school a few years ago. I've been helping my dad run the store since then. We've had some competition from the Home Depot that opened in Hartford, so he had to lay off a few employees."

"So, that's all you do? All work and no play makes Lucas a dull boy."

"It's just _Luke_ , thanks. And there's not much else to do. I know you haven't been here long, but Stars Hollow isn't exactly a happening place."

"It seems really nice," Lorelai replied. "But really," she pressed. "No hobbies?"

He shrugged. "I try to go for a run every morning. Some Saturdays we have a neighborhood softball game."

"What about friends?" Lorelai asked. "A, uh, girlfriend?"

He smirked. "Yes, I have friends. I'm not Howard Hughes." He leaned back, crossing his arms behind his head. "And no, I don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh," Lorelai said. "Too bad for you."

"I'm fine," he said. "What about you? Where's Rory's dad?"

She snorted. "God only knows," she replied bitterly. Sensing that she didn't want to elaborate, he didn't press the subject. "So we've established that I'm _not_ afraid of the storm, but why are you down here?" she asked.

"I was getting a drink from the kitchen when I heard the mutterings of a crazy woman," he joked, a teasing smile on his lips. Lorelai ducked her head, laughing. "How do you feel now? Still afraid?"

Lorelai looked out through the window. The night seemed serene still, the wind hardly ruffling the leaves on the property's trees. It was dark and misty, and the few outdoor lights were blurry beacons punctuating the foggy night. It seemed a little spooky, but not scary. "No," she said finally, smiling over at him. "I'm not."

* * *

Since the Inn was closed to guests that weekend, there wasn't any pressing need to wake up early. Lorelai relished sleeping in for a change, but once Rory stirred a few minutes after 7, she rolled herself out of bed. Talking to Luke the night before had eased her anxiety, and they'd only chatted a few minutes longer before they both went up to bed, where Lorelai fell asleep as soon as she'd laid down next to her daughter, who hadn't appeared to move a muscle while she was downstairs.

Lorelai and Rory were the last ones to arrive to the dining room, where Mia was setting up a simple breakfast buffet. Aside from Mia, the Danes men, Rory, and herself, there were a few other Inn employees who were staying to weather the storm. Lorelai waved hello to Rafael and Donna, and eased Rory down into the high chair that was set up for her at one of the tables. As she was loading a plate with fruit, pancakes, and bacon, she looked up with a smile to see Luke next to her, fixing up a bowl of oatmeal. "Gross," she said, peering down her nose at the lumpy brown stuff.

"It's good for you," he replied, reaching for a banana.

"Ugh, so not worth it," Lorelai grimaced, and Luke chuckled. He raised his eyes at the food she had piled on top of her plate. "What?" she asked.

"You're not going to feed that stuff to Rory, are you?"

"Yes," she replied archly, daring him to make another comment. He only shook his head, and went back to the table where Bill was eating an identical serving of oatmeal, minus the banana.

Lorelai returned to her table and handed Rory a piece of pancake which she devoured happily. "Here's some honeydew, baby," she said, spearing a piece of melon on a fork and handing it to the little girl. Rory picked up the fork and eyed the green fruit suspiciously. "It's good," she urged, waiting for Rory to take a bite. Her daughter looked at her, then lifted the fork to her lips. She took a tentative lick, and made a face.

"Unbelievable," Luke muttered, watching the whole scene play out.

"You stop," Lorelai groused playfully. "Come on, baby," she urged again. "Fruit is good. It tastes sweet, like candy." Rory gave her a wide-eyed look of disbelief, but took a tiny bite of the melon anyway. Mia sat down next to Lorelai with her own plate.

"Did you get some coffee, hon?" she asked Lorelai, as she spread her napkin across her lap.

"No, I didn't see it."

"The pot is in the kitchen," she said.

"Okay," Lorelai said. "Keep an eye on Rory?" Mia nodded agreeably as she speared another piece of fruit for Rory to try. Lorelai watched as Rory took the fruit readily, though she still seemed suspicious of it.

The smell of the coffee brewing filled her lungs and she sighed happily once she entered the kitchen. She hadn't been inside the Inn's kitchen more than a few times, and it took some digging to locate the mugs. Once she poured the coffee in, she took a sip. And then another. "Damn," she muttered.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked, walking into the kitchen at that moment.

"This coffee," Lorelai replied, peering into the mug, looking as if she expected to find the Holy Grail inside.

"Is it okay?" Luke asked, and he looked worried.

"Okay?" Lorelai said, her voice pitching slightly higher. "This is the most amazing cup of coffee I've ever tasted in my life!"

Luke's expression changed from concern to smug. "Oh yeah?"

Lorelai took another sip. "Uh, yeah. I would marry this coffee. Have its coffee babies." Another sip. "Oh my god." She looked up to see Luke grinning. "Why do you look so pleased?"

He shrugged. "I made it."

She looked back down at her cup. "You made this coffee? Did you put magic in it or something?"

He laughed. "No."

"Well, then what's your secret?"

"Can't tell you," he replied, moving past her to fish some tea bags out of a canister.

"What do you mean? Did you not hear me? This coffee is seriously amazing. It's like my life had no meaning until I drank this coffee." He didn't reply as he poured hot water out of a kettle into a mug, placing a tea bag inside. "And you're making tea? Tell me you aren't drinking tea instead of this amazing coffee."

"I don't drink coffee," he replied, dunking the bag in and out of the hot water.

She gasped. "You make coffee like ambrosia and don't even drink it?"

"Do you have any idea what coffee does to your central nervous system?" he demanded.

"Uh, makes it very, very happy?" Lorelai guessed. He shot her a look, and went back to his tea. "So why can't you tell me your secret?" she said, moving to stand beside him, cradling the cup close to her nose to breathe in the intoxicating scent.

"Family secret,"

"I'll get it out of your dad, then," Lorelai said. Luke looked over, and something passed in front of his eyes that she couldn't name.

"It was my mom's recipe," he said quietly, and Lorelai felt her heart fall into her stomach.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't realize."

He waved her off. "It's fine, I just… I'd rather you not mention it to him, okay?"

"Sure, you got it," she replied, nodding. She took a large gulp, and after swallowing it, she added, "I'm not done pestering you about it yet, though." Then she flounced back into the dining room, hearing his deep chuckle behind her.

* * *

It was several hours after breakfast before the rain and wind started picking up. Lorelai and Rory huddled in the dining room, away from the windows, with a selection of toys that Mia had rounded up from both charitable friends and neighbors and from the lost and found box. Among the treasures, Mia had gotten her hands on a Baby Chrissy doll in nearly mint condition, and Rory was besotted with it. She pulled on the doll's hair to lengthen it, and was filled with glee to learn that the cord on the doll's neck could shorten the hair again. There was also a train set, some Star Wars action figures missing a few limbs, and a My Little Pony.

A particularly loud gust of wind shook the boards on the windows and Lorelai jumped. Rory looked up, questioningly, and Lorelai gave her a shaky smile. "It's fine, baby, the loud noise just startled mommy," she soothed, but at the same time she looked around worriedly. At that moment, the power went out, leaving them all in darkness.

Rory crawled into her mother's lap and clung to her, whimpering. Lorelai made soothing noises and rubbed circles on Rory's tiny back, trying unsuccessfully to stay calm. She'd never really enjoyed storms as a kid, and now with all the changes she'd made so quickly to her own life, she was unable to control her own fear. She could tell Rory was sensing her apprehension, and soon the whimpers turned to wails. Lorelai stood up in the dark room, bouncing her daughter and trying to calm her, while at the same time shaking uncontrollably.

She walked back into the foyer, where Mia was lighting some candles on the front desk and Bill and Rafael were peering into the fireplace. Mia looked up when Lorelai walked in, Rory's cries alerting her to their presence. She walked over and held out her hands to take the baby, but Rory clutched at her mother. "Mama!" she shrieked, and Mia stepped back, looking sympathetic.

She walked the little girl around the room, trying to let herself be distracted by the men getting the fireplace ready to be lit, to no avail. She felt Luke's presence beside her before he spoke, and she turned toward him.

"I like to cook," he said.

Lorelai stopped mid-bounce, surprised. "What?"

"I like to cook," he repeated. He lifted his eyebrow, and she could just see a smirk on his face in the dim light. "You asked if I had hobbies?"

"Oh!" she said. "That explains the coffee."

"Yeah." He shrugged. "I have some old secret recipes," he said, with a wink, "but I also like to experiment."

"What kind of food do you cook?" she asked, interested, as she resumed bouncing.

"A little of everything," he replied. "Nothing too fancy, not like what Mia serves here at the Inn." He sighed, looking as though he were being held at gunpoint and being forced to say these things. "I've been trying to figure out how to make tortillas."

"Make tortillas?" Lorelai asked, dumbfounded. "But you can buy them in the store, in nice little flat circles."

"Yes," he replied patiently, "but the fresh ones are really better. You have to believe me."

"I believe you," she replied with a smile. Suddenly, she realized that Rory had stopped crying, and was now asleep on her shoulder. "You were distracting me," she accused Luke, who smiled widely, lifting his hands in surrender.

"It worked, didn't it?" he asked.

Lorelai grinned. "You're a good friend," she said sincerely. "Now, what else do you cook?"

* * *

Once the storm died down, Mia sat everyone around the blazing fire and handed out bowls of soup she'd warmed on the gas stove in the kitchen. The power was still out, and the silence outside was eerie. Lorelai set her own bowl aside, blowing carefully on the tiny plastic bowl that Mia had prepared for Rory. She offered spoonfuls to the little girl, who eagerly slurped up the soup, making happy smacking noises. "Soup," she said, pointing at the bowl, and Lorelai smiled proudly.

"Yes, baby. Soup," she said. She looked up, and saw Luke watching her intently across the haphazard semi-circle they had all formed. She fed Rory all the soup in her little bowl and some from her own, and every time she looked up, she met Luke's stare. When Rory had finally eaten her fill, she crawled over to sit in Mia's lap, and Lorelai was finally able to feed herself.

"Your food must be cold," he said, and she looked up to see that he had moved to sit next to her. "You let her eat first," he observed.

Lorelai shrugged. "It's what moms do," she replied matter-of-factly. She paused, then she chuckled sardonically. "Well, that's what moms _should_ do," she amended. "Can't say I've ever had my mom put me first in anything." He kept his eyes on her, watching as she spooned more lukewarm soup into her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, her eyes moving to her bowl, "about your mom."

"Not your fault," he said lightly, but she noticed how his easy posture had stiffened slightly.

"Well, it can't be easy, hearing me badmouth my mother who is very much alive when yours is not."

He shrugged. "She wasn't perfect, either."

"No," she said quietly, her gaze darting quickly across the room, where Bill was inspecting the fireplace again. "But you still miss her. Both of you."

"We do," he replied. He turned back to her. "Want me to warm you up another bowl?" he asked.

She grinned. "Why thank you, kind sir," she said. He picked up the bowl from her hands and walked into the kitchen, disappearing into the shadow at the edge of the firelight.

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai picked her way through fallen branches toward the potting shed. She was surprised to see Luke there already, walking around the outside of the shed, testing various supports and shingles. "Hey," she said, as she approached him.

He looked up, surprised. "Hey," he replied.

"Checking to see if there's damage?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Looks good. The improvements we made held out. We just need to bring in some furniture and it'll be ready."

"Good," she replied. "Thank you."

"No big deal," he replied. He cleared his throat. "Listen," he began, and Lorelai looked at him. He was looking down at his feet. "Um, I know it's gotta be hard, raising a kid alone. I mean, my sister is doing it and she's a mess. We keep trying to get her to come home, but she's too proud, you know? And she just wants to do things her way, which involves a lot of guys and drinking, and some… other stuff." He paused, looking up at her. "I know you're not like that, you've got a job and Mia said you had some child care lined up, and I think that's great, really. But, if you need someone, like a… like a partner, I would…" He dropped his gaze again, and kicked the ground with his boot.

Lorelai's heart started racing. She'd only known this man for a week, and he was proposing to her? "Are you asking me to marry you?" she asked softly. He nodded, not looking up. "I need to sit down," she mumbled, falling to the steps in front of the potting shed.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said quickly, "and I'd have no, you know, expectations. It would just be help, with Rory, someone to pick up the slack and stuff. Like a good friend."

"Wow." She looked at him, and he met her gaze. She could see how sincere he was, and it made her melt. "That is seriously, truly, one of the greatest offers anyone has ever made to me," she began, choosing her words with care.

"But you can't accept," he muttered, dropping his chin.

"No, I can't," she said, "but let me tell you why." He looked up, and waited for her to continue. She took a deep breath. "Chris–that's Rory's dad–he asked me to marry him, too. But I said no. Because we were 16, we're too young. I mean, I'm only 17 now. I didn't want to get married just because of Rory. And it was the smart thing to do, because he almost didn't even come to the hospital. We were about to be discharged when he finally showed up." Luke's jaw dropped. "I know, it's crazy, right? I mean, I have to protect my kid, and I knew that Chris wasn't ready to be a real dad. I mean, his parents wanted me to…" she trailed off, unable to even say the words out loud.

"Get rid of her?" Luke supplied quietly. Lorelai nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes. She wiped them away, taking another deep breath.

"But Luke, I'm 17 and you're, what? 18?"

"Almost twenty-one," he said.

"Twenty-one." She sighed. "I can't ask you to give up your life for me." He moved to sit next to her.

"It wouldn't be giving up my life," he replied. "It's the right thing to do."

"Being dad to someone else's kid?"

"I'd love it if some guy offered that to my sister," he replied honestly. "I'd know both her and Jess–that's my nephew–were taken care of."

Lorelai looked at him, and smiled. She bumped his shoulder with her own. "You are going to make a great dad and husband to someone someday." He smiled back.

* * *

On Monday, Lorelai walked into town as fast as she could. She only had a small window of time in order to meet with the staff of the nursery school at the church, and she didn't want to be late. Mia had used her clout as a local businesswoman in order to secure that spot for Rory, and if she was going to keep her job, she needed this to work out. The church wasn't too far from the town square, and she could see the gazebo out of the corner of her eye. Beyond that, she saw the sign for Williams Hardware, and smiled to herself.

Entering the church, she walked down the carpeted hallway, peeking in each room, trying to find the school's office. Five doors down, she saw a bronze sign indicating Kim's Parochial School.

"Jun Kim?" she asked, stepping into the small room.

"Ah, Mrs. Gilmore," said the tiny woman with a friendly smile. "Come in!" She gestured to one of the folding chairs in front of the desk. She picked up a sheaf of papers as Lorelai sat down. "Mrs. Bass tells me you have a one-year-old daughter?"

Lorelai nodded. "Yes, her name is Rory. Actually, her name is Lorelai, but I'm Lorelai, so that would be confusing. So her nickname is Rory."

The woman looked up, clearly puzzled, but then returned her attention to the papers in front of her. "So, I just wanted to go over the paperwork with you. You seem to have forgotten to fill in some information. What does Mr. Gilmore do?"

"Oh, there's no Mr. Gilmore," Lorelai said. Mrs. Kim's head snapped up.

"No Mr. Gilmore?"

"Uh," she said. "Well, my _father_ is Mr. Gilmore, but he isn't Rory's father. That would be some twisted Days of Our Lives stuff right there."

"Oh." She saw the pursed lips, and Lorelai's heart began to sink. " _Ms._ Gilmore," Mrs. Kim said lightly. "I'm not sure if you know, but this church feels very strongly about the _traditional_ family and–"

"But I'm engaged!" she blurted.


	3. Soldier On

Tossing the box cutter on the warped work table, Luke began unpacking another shipment of tools. It was a mindless task, one that he'd completed thousands of times before. He hated doing it, because he was often left alone with his thoughts, and that was never a good thing these days. But before he'd even grasped the first item, he heard the front door burst open, slamming against the wall with a bang. He jumped from the sudden sound, then stood still, waiting to hear if there would be more unexpected noises.

His father's greeting carried from the front of the store. "Hey, Lorelai! Where's that baby of yours?"

"Oh," he heard her reply, sounding breathless, "she's with Mia. I had an appointment. Is Luke here?"

Luke wiped the packing dust from his hands onto his shirt and walked out to the front. "Hey," he called over to her. She rushed over to him and grabbed his arm tightly.

"We need to talk," she hissed. " _Privately_." Bewildered and taken aback by her panicked appearance, he gestured up the stairs near the back of the shop. She dropped his arm and bounded up the steps.

She walked inside the office and rounded on him. "Were you serious?" she demanded.

"About what?" he asked.

"About your offer. To, you know, get married?"

He paused a moment as he attempted to breathe. "Yes," he said slowly.

"Oh good, because I did the stupidest thing today and if you changed your mind I was going to be in such a tight spot, like seriously, epic catastrophe."

"What did you do?" Luke asked apprehensively.

"So, remember that nursery school for Rory?" Luke nodded. "Well, I get there today to go over the paperwork and she is all "so, where is Mr. Gilmore?" and I'm like, Mr. Gilmore's my father, and then, oh god." Lorelai stopped and pressed a hand to her chest, heaving with anxiety.

"And then what?" he asked.

Lorelai closed her eyes tightly. "She began to say something like, they don't allow kids that don't come from sturdy two-parent households, like we're in the middle ages or something. So, I freaked. I mean, you know how important this is for me, so I can keep my job."

Luke grabbed her hands. "What did you do, Lorelai? I'm dying here."

"I told her I was engaged. She asked about the ring, and I said it was getting cleaned and I should have it back in a couple of days." Opening her eyes to look at Luke again, she bit her bottom lip before continuing. "So if you're serious about this, my ring size is a seven and a half."

He stared at her a moment. He couldn't believe this was happening. When he had extended the offer, he knew there was such a small chance of her accepting it that now that she was, he didn't even know what to say. Finally, he quirked his lips in a little smile, and said, "Okay."

Lorelai let out a long relieved breath. "Oh thank god!" she cried, jumping up and throwing her arms around him. He hugged her back, still feeling overwhelmed.

Stepping back, she looked guilty again. "What?" he asked suspiciously.

"There's more," she said, wringing her hands. He waited. "I told her the wedding was in two weeks."

* * *

"Dad?" Luke said, watching his father counting the register at the end of the night.

"Yeah, son?" he asked, closing the till.

"I have something I need to tell you." Bill stopped what he was doing and gave his son his full attention, leaning against the counter. It wasn't going to be easy, but he needed to be forthright. He took a deep breath and said quickly, "I proposed to Lorelai."

Bill's eyes widened. "You did what now?" he asked in disbelief. "Lucas, you hardly know her."

"Don't try to talk me out of it," he said. "She has a baby and she needs the help. And we get along great. She needs me."

Bill exhaled slowly. "This is about Rachel, isn't it?"

"This has nothing to do with Rachel," Luke said firmly. "It's the right thing to do."

"So I'm assuming she said yes otherwise you wouldn't have brought it up."

"Not right away, but something came up and so we decided to do it. Get married," he said, trying to stand tall in front of his father, demonstrating that he was set in making this decision.

"Something came up?" Bill repeated, an eyebrow raised. He crossed his hands in front of his chest and eyed his son speculatively.

"She said that Mrs. Kim over at the nursery school was going to give Rory's space away to another kid, one in a traditional two-parent household, and she freaked out and told them we were engaged."

"Ah," Bill replied, the pieces beginning to fall into place. "You know we could probably figure something out without having to resort to marriage."

"Like what?" Luke asked, spreading his arms wide, beginning to get agitated. "All the other nursery schools are a bus drive away. Lorelai starts work before dawn. She's already planning to start work and then take Rory to the school on her morning break."

"You could have offered to drive Rory to school instead of marrying her mother," Bill persisted.

"But what if I get held up here and can't go pick her up? She can't afford the fees for late pick up. Besides, it'll be great. You'll have another grandbaby around."

"Lucas, I don't know. You seem to be rushing into this without even thinking…" He shook his head, pressing his index finger against his temple. Stubbornness was clearly a Danes family trait.

"My mind's made up, Dad. Besides, she accepted. I can't just rescind my proposal," Luke pointed out.

The two men gazed at each other, each trying to hold on to their position with stubborn fortitude. Finally, Bill sighed and tossed his hands up. "I guess we need to go ring shopping, then."

* * *

Lorelai hadn't heard from Luke since the day she had accepted his proposal. It was now Wednesday, and she was on pins and needles, hoping that that he hadn't changed his mind, that he had the ring he had promised to get. She _needed_ that ring when she dropped Rory off for her first day of school the next day, or else the plan would fall to pieces before it had even begun.

She was unpacking her few meager possessions into the potting shed while Mia took Rory to the Stars Hollow bookstore for story time. Mia had them found a twin bed and some old sheets in storage, and some locals had scrounged together a clean mattress and a chest of drawers. She'd also received donations of baby clothes and she added that to the small stash of toys that Rory was quickly accumulating. She was sorting through the clothes, putting aside the items she knew would already be too small, when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Are you busy?" Luke asked, poking his head inside. Lorelai stood up, dusting off the thighs of her jeans.

"Nope, just unpacking," she said. She looked around. "I guess this won't be home for long," she said, realization coming across her face. She turned back to Luke. "I'm assuming that you won't want to move in here?"

He chuckled. "Not so much, but I have ideas about that." He cleared his throat. "I uh, wanted to show you something."

"Oh?" Lorelai asked, her curiosity piqued. She really hoped it was the ring. "Let me see," she said.

"Can we do this outside?" he asked. She tilted her head questioningly. "I just, let me at least do this the right way," he grumbled, looking sheepish.

"Okay, sure," she said, smiling a little bit. She slipped on her tennis shoes and shrugged on her coat. They walked together toward the pond, stepping over fallen branches that hadn't yet been cleaned up from Gloria. When they reached a small grassy area, Luke fumbled into his pocket and removed a ring box. Lorelai felt her heartbeat quicken. Even when Christopher had proposed, it had been a halfhearted 'Why not?' There hadn't been a ring. Now, there was a _ring_.

He dropped to one knee, and opened the jewelry box. He thrust it toward her, and she noticed an imperceptible shake in his arm as he held it out toward her. "Lorelai," he began, trying to sound confident, but all of a sudden looking extremely nervous, "will you marry me?"

Lorelai felt unexpectedly emotional. She inhaled sharply, before smiling shakily. "Yes," she said, surprised at how breathy her voice was. He grinned, looking relieved. His hand still shaking slightly, he freed the ring from its velvet case and slipped it onto her finger. She held it up in front of her and Luke got to his feet.

"Is it okay?" he asked nervously.

"It's beautiful," she replied. "You have great taste."

He shrugged. "The lady at the store helped. We got matching wedding bands at the same time."

"We?" she asked.

"Dad went with me."

"Ah. So, what did he say when you told him?"

Luke exhaled loudly. "He wanted to be sure I wasn't rushing into anything."

Lorelai nodded. "Did you explain?"

"I did. You know how parents are," he said, waving it off, "concerned over everything."

"Sure," Lorelai said, and she felt a weird niggling in the back of her mind. She hadn't planned on telling her parents about this at all. She was still concerned that if they knew where she was that they would make her come home. Instead, she admired her ring a bit more, watching as the sunlight made the small diamond sparkle.

"We should probably talk specifics," he said, clenching and unclenching his fists nervously. "Are you going to want a big wedding thing?"

"Wedding thing?" Lorelai repeated, smirking.

"You know," he said, gesturing widely. "A big party with bridesmaids and flowers and cakes and stuff."

"Well, a huge yes to cake," Lorelai said. "But I was thinking we would just have a small ceremony. I don't exactly have money for a giant spectacle." He nodded, scuffing his boot along the ground.

"I can take care of the church and the minister part," he said. "We've already got the rings. I have a _suit_ –" he rolled his eyes at the word "–and I guess you can get your dress? Maybe Mia has some ideas."

"Yeah, okay," Lorelai said. "Remember, I said two weeks, so it should be before the end of the month."

"Got it," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets. They stared at each other in an awkward silence.

"Well, I'm going to get back to unpacking," Lorelai said eventually, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, okay," he replied, nodding. They began walking back toward the potting shed, and saw Mia carrying Rory as they approached the small structure.

"Mama!" Rory cried, and Lorelai saw she was hugging a book to her chest. Lorelai looked over at Mia who grinned sheepishly.

"She looked up at me with those blue eyes and I just couldn't say no," she explained. Mia looked over at Luke, curious. "Lucas? To what do we owe the pleasure?" she asked. Lorelai gulped, and shared a glance with Luke.

"Uh, Luke proposed to me," Lorelai said, lifting up her hand to show Mia the sparkling jewelry.

"What?" she gasped. She thrust Rory into Luke's arms unexpectedly, then grabbed Lorelai's hand to look more closely at the ring.

Luke looked startled to have a baby suddenly in his arms, but Rory was nonplussed. "Book?" she said, holding it up to his face.

"Inside, right now," Mia ordered, and Lorelai and Luke shuffled into the potting shed, Rory still in Luke's arms. "Sit down," she continued, and Lorelai and Luke sat on the twin bed, side by side. Rory dropped the book, slipped down to the floor and crawled toward her small pile of toys, picking up the Chrissy doll immediately.

"So what's this about?" Mia asked, her eyes going back and forth.

"I know it's a little weird," Lorelai began hesitantly, her eyes darting between Luke and Mia, "but uh, you know, love happens in weird places."

"Love?" repeated Mia skeptically.

"Yeah, like the hurricane made us realize how short life is and…" she sighed heavily then tossed her hands in the air. "It was his idea," she said, pointing her finger at Luke.

"Lucas?" Mia prompted.

"Listen," he said, looking to Lorelai, who nodded supportively, "I mean, you know how Liz is struggling to make ends meet with a baby and with Jimmy off in California doing god knows what, and I can't marry _her_ , not that she wants anyone's help anyway, but I thought it would help Lorelai to have someone she can share the load with." He sighed. "So I asked her, and she said yes. So we're getting married."

"Don't you want to date for a bit first?" Mia asked, frowning slightly.

"It's not like that," Lorelai insisted. "This is platonic. Right?" she nudged Luke, who nodded.

"What, like a business partnership?" Mia asked in disbelief.

"No, like friends," Lorelai replied. "We're sure, Mia. This is a good idea. It'll give Rory some stability. And it'll be good to have someone to help me out."

Mia looked at them both, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Fine," she replied. She turned to Luke. "What does Bill say?" she asked.

"He's fine with it," Luke replied easily, and Lorelai tried to hide her smirk. "He helped me buy the rings."

"Well, alright then," Mia said. She shook her head. "Kids these days," she muttered, and Lorelai giggled a little.

* * *

The next day, Lorelai was finishing up her work day when Mia called her over. "Lucas is on the phone for you," she said. Puzzled, Lorelai walked into Mia's office and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she said.

"I've run into a bit of a problem," he greeted her.

"A problem?" she asked. "What kind of problem?"

"Do you think your parents will sign off on our marriage?" he asked.

"No chance in hell," she replied bluntly.

"That's what I figured," he said. "You haven't talked about them much, but I was getting that sort of vibe from you."

"Hee!" Lorelai giggled. "You said vibe!"

"Ah, geez," he groaned.

"So does that mean we can't get married?" Lorelai asked, her visions of Rory continuing to attend the Kim's nursery school disappearing in a cloud of smoke and disapproval.

"You need to be 18," he said, sounding discouraged.

"There's gotta be a loophole," she said. "Maybe Mia can pretend to be my mom."

"They check birth certificates," he replied glumly.

"What about Vegas?" she asked.

"Lorelai," he replied, starting to sound annoyed.

"Don't give up," she begged. "I can't lose this job, and that means Rory needs to go to school. If I have to go back to Hartford with my tail between my legs, it'll kill me."

She heard him exhale forcefully on the other end of the line. "I'll think of something," he said finally, and Lorelai silently began praying for a miracle.

"Okay," she said. "I've got to do a few things to finish up here. Can you come over tonight? We'll make a plan."

"I'm going to call the county clerk and see if they have any ideas," he replied.

When they hung up, Lorelai swallowed hard. She'd come so far already, it was too early for everything to fall apart. She resolved to push the matter out of her mind until that evening, hopefully by then they would have an idea of what they could do to forestall Rory getting kicked out of school on her very first day.

Rory was already asleep by the time Luke knocked at the door of the potting shed. Lorelai shrugged into her coat and stepped outside. "Sorry I'm getting here so late," Luke apologized.

"It's fine," Lorelai said, waving off his apologies.

"I did bring this," he said, and handed her a paper cup.

She sniffed it, and smiled slightly. "Hot cocoa?"

He smiled, looking slightly embarrassed. "There was a fundraiser for the bridge. I passed it on my way here, so I stopped and got one for you."

"You're turning out to be quite the fiancé," Lorelai said, taking a sip of her chocolatey drink.

"I try," Luke replied, ducking his head shyly, but Lorelai could see the traces of a smug smile.

"So, did you find us a loophole?" Lorelai asked, warming her hands against the warm cup.

Luke began to nod, leaning against the side of the potting shed. "Yes. Mrs. Lanahan told me that since you've been pregnant recently, we can get married in Maryland without too much trouble."

"Maryland?" Lorelai asked. "How far away is that?"

"Four to five hours drive," Luke replied. "There is a waiting period though, so we'd have to get the license and hang around for a couple of days."

"Okay," Lorelai said. "Well, if that's what it takes. Did you tell your dad already?"

"Not yet," he said. "I thought maybe you, Rory, and Mia could come over for dinner tomorrow night, and we can figure out transportation and all of that. Maryland doesn't require witnesses, but I think they would at least like to be there, and we have family friends that we are pretty close to." He snorted slightly. "If I could track down Liz, I would invite her, too, but the last number we had for her went out of service weeks ago."

Lorelai rested a hand on his arm in sympathy. "I'm sorry things are weird with your sister," she said softly. He looked up, and smiled sadly.

"It is what it is," he replied simply.

* * *

Lorelai buckled Rory into the new car seat that Mia had purchased for them, insisting that it was an early birthday gift for Rory and refusing to accept any payment. She shielded Rory from the night air, since the month of October had brought cooler temperatures along with it. She hadn't thought to grab any mittens or hats when she had left Hartford, and as she worried about where she was going to find the money to procure those things, it once again hit her how unprepared she had been to take her child out into the world on her own.

Lorelai was lost in thought as they drove toward Plum street. Mia glanced over a few times, concerned over how the normally talkative girl had clammed up, unable to get more than a few words out of her. As they pulled up in the driveway of the Danes' two-story home, she gently touched Lorelai's arm. "Everything okay?" she asked gently.

"Everything's fine," Lorelai said, shooting her a bright smile. "Just a little tired. I worked hard this week."

"I have to agree with that," Mia chuckled. "I think Donna is starting to think you're a show off."

"I'm just doing my job," Lorelai said, a little defensively.

"I know, dear." Mia patted her arm. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

The house was a little run-down, obviously showing its age, but was clean and tidy. Lorelai stepped through the front door, holding Rory, who had one hand tangled in her mother's hair and the other stuffed into her mouth. Bill stepped through an archway to the right, and smiled warmly at the trio.

"Welcome!" he said. He ushered them into the dining room. "You're in for a treat. Lucas has been in the kitchen all day."

"Ooh, exciting!" Lorelai said, feeling her stomach rumble. "I was hoping I would get to try some of his cooking."

"Hey," she heard Luke say, and she looked up to see him standing in the doorway. She could see a countertop behind him, and assumed the kitchen lay beyond.

"What's for dinner?" Lorelai asked. She set Rory into the highchair that was in the room. "Is this new?" she asked, looking up at Bill.

"Uh, yeah," he said, looking a little sheepish. "Since you're marrying my son, I thought it might come in handy."

"Thank you," Lorelai said, feeling touched.

"I'm making lasagna and garlic bread," Luke replied. "Got a little tossed salad in there, too." Lorelai wrinkled her nose at the word salad, but Luke only raised his eyebrows before turning to go back into the kitchen.

"Glass of wine, Mia?" Bill asked, holding up a bottle.

"Please," Mia replied, taking a seat across from Lorelai and Rory. The table was a long farmhouse style, with bench seats instead of individual chairs. The wood looked like it had been distressed, and she noticed some carvings on the side.

"This is a really nice table," she observed, smoothing her hands along some of the carvings. They appeared to be just designs, not words or pictures.

"Lucas and I made it a few summers ago," he said, and Lorelai looked up in surprise.

"You made a table?" she replied in disbelief and a little bit of awe.

"Yeah, it came out pretty well," he said humbly. He poured the wine for Mia and another for himself. He looked over at Lorelai. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Seventeen," she said, cringing a little. She always felt a little awkward when people realized how young she was to have had a baby.

Bill debated silently, glancing at Mia before returning his gaze to Lorelai. "Do you… want any?" he asked hesitantly.

"No, thank you," Lorelai said, trying to brush past the awkwardness of it all. Luke walked in at that moment with the pan of hot bubbling cheese and pasta, setting it on a towel in the center of the table. Bill went into the kitchen, and returned with the bread and the salad, and then Luke and his father began to serve them all. They even had a small child's place setting for Rory prepared, with a tiny spoon and fork and a little bowl.

"Do you want some wine, Lucas?" Bill asked, and Luke glanced over at Lorelai quickly before shaking his head no. Lorelai felt warmed by that small gesture of solidarity.

They dug into their food, Lorelai praising the deliciousness until Luke began to blush. They avoided the topic of the upcoming nuptials during dinner, with Mia asking about the hardware store and Bill asking about the inn in return. It wasn't until they were settled with bowls of vanilla ice cream for dessert that Bill broached the topic.

"So, you're getting married," he stated, looking back and forth between the two.

"Yes," Lorelai said, unsure where the conversation was going from there.

"And there's no way we can talk you out of it?" he asked.

"No, sir," Lorelai said, trying to sound more confident than she felt.

Bill sighed. "Okay, so what did you need to talk to us about?"

"Well," Luke began, looking over at Lorelai, who nodded encouragingly. "You can't get married in the state of Connecticut unless you're 18."

"And, as we established earlier, I'm not," Lorelai added.

"But in Maryland, as long as Lorelai has a doctor's note saying she was pregnant recently, we can still get married. But there is a 48-hour waiting period so we'll have to spend the weekend up in Maryland." Bill and Mia shared a glance, but did not interject. "So, we wanted to know if you both wanted to be there, or not," Luke finished lamely.

Bill pressed his fingers into his temples. "Are you guys really sure about this? I know I sound like a broken record, but I know we can figure out something."

"We're sure," Lorelai said. "I… I really want this," she admitted. "I mean, at first I thought there was no way, but being a single parent is hard. I'm worried about how I'm going to provide for Rory, how I'm going to juggle working and taking care of her. Going back to my parents is non-negotiable," she said, staving off any objections to that nature. She sighed. "I know it's not entirely conventional, but I think we can make it work."

The room fell silent, the only sounds coming from Rory, who was attempting to eat her rapidly melting ice cream with her tiny fork.

"We'll be there," Mia said finally, looking around the table at everyone gathered there. "Obviously not this weekend," she said, contemplating. "When do you plan to go?"

"We'll drive up the 11th," Luke said, pulling out a piece of paper with hand scribbled notes on it. "Lorelai and I will get our license before the clerk's office closes, so the earlier we can get there, the better. And then Sunday evening we'll get married. I've already called a justice of the peace who's agreed to marry us."

"I would have thought a minister would be more willing," Bill remarked.

"Sundays are kind of their big day," Luke replied, smirking.

"Right," Bill said.

"So, then we'd drive home and be married," Luke said, shoving the paper back into his pocket.

"And then what?" asked Mia.

"I still haven't found a place for us to live yet," Luke said, looking toward Lorelai. "I've got a few possibilities, but one of them has already fallen through. Margaret at the bank approved me for a loan so I'm trying to find something within the range she approved me for."

"She approved a loan?" Bill asked, eyes widened. "Why don't I know about this?" he asked, almost to himself.

Luke shrugged. "I was busy yesterday."

"Mama!" Rory cried, her chin dripping with melting ice cream.

Lorelai looked at her, and giggled. "Let me clean you up," she said, dabbing her napkin into her water glass, and trying to get rid of the mess. Luke swung his leg around the bench and got up.

"Here," he said, unbuckling Rory from the seat and picking her up. "We can clean her up in the bathroom," he said, and Lorelai followed him down the hall. As they walked away, Bill and Mia shared a surprised look.

"Did you see that?" Mia asked quietly.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," he replied, craning his neck to look down the hallway.


	4. My Life Has Been Such A Whirlwind

Rory's birthday dawned grey and overcast, but Lorelai was too excited to let the weather dampen her spirits. Not only was her little girl turning one, but Luke left a message with Mia for her to check in with him at the hardware store before she picked up the birthday girl from the church. She practically bounced all the way to the center of Stars Hollow, barely even feeling the wind whipping her curls into a frenzy.

"Hey!" she called, entering the store. Luke stepped out from behind a shelf and nodded in greeting. "You wanted to show me something?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied. "Dad!" he yelled. "Gonna take Lorelai to the house now!" A distant voice called back a muffled reply. "Let's go," he said, gesturing toward the door to the shop.

They began walking through town. Luke obviously had a destination in mind, but steadfastly refused to give in to Lorelai's pleas for hints. Turning onto Maple Street, Lorelai's excitement reached fever pitch. "Here? Is it here?" she squealed, Luke chuckling at her childlike antics.

He stopped in front of a two-story blue house with a large wraparound porch. The yard was overgrown with tall grass and weeds, and some of the roof's shingles dangled lazily from the eaves. "This one," he said, gesturing toward it.

"It's beautiful," Lorelai breathed, taking in the dilapidated wonder in front of her.

"It needs some repairs, but Dad thinks he and I can do most of it. It needs to be re-insulated and you'll probably want to change the carpet." He walked toward the steps leading to the porch and tested the first step carefully with his foot. "I think some of the porch needs to be replaced, too," he said, moving to grip the wooden post closest to him. He tested the post as well, running his hand along the faded and stripped paint carefully.

"I love it," Lorelai said, as he turned to face her again. "This is perfect. It's like a country cottage, quaint and picturesque. Can we see inside?"

"I'd rather not risk it without a hard hat," he replied. "Once we've assessed its stability, we can go inside and look around."

She turned in a circle, taking in the entire property. "How long before we can move in?" she asked. Luke chuckled, stepping down from the creaky, weathered steps and rejoining Lorelai on the lawn.

"Depends how fast we can re-insulate. Dad wants to get a contractor and an inspector in, make sure everything is up to code."

"We're leaving for Maryland on Friday," Lorelai reminded him.

"Won't be ready by then," he said.

She nodded, contemplating. "So, then what?" she asked.

"Well, you can move into the house with me and dad while we wait, or you can stay in the potting shed until the house is ready. He thinks we should be able to move in before the end of the next month."

Lorelai rested her hands on her hips. "It won't be weird if we stay in the potting shed?" she asked finally.

Luke shrugged. "No weirder than you moving into Liz's old room," he said.

"If it's all the same to you," she said, scuffing her shoe into a clump of dirt, "I'd rather only move Rory once."

"Seems reasonable," he agreed.

"Are you coming to Rory's birthday party tonight?" she asked, looking up.

"If you want me there," he replied.

She laughed. "Of course I want you there. You're going to be her stepdad soon."

"True," he replied. "Do I need to bring a present?" he asked, suddenly worried.

"I don't think she'll notice," Lorelai said, giggling. "She's only one."

Luke and Lorelai walked back toward town in comfortable silence. Once they arrived in front of the church, Luke jerked his thumb toward the store across the street. "I've gotta get back to the store. See you tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight," Lorelai said, with a grin and a wave. She watched for a moment as Luke loped back to the store, hands in his pockets, then, shaking her head slightly, walked into the church, eager to give her baby girl a giant hug.

* * *

Later that evening, Luke walked into Mia's house, looking around. He'd been there multiple times growing up, but he always felt weird walking into other people's houses, particularly when there was no one at the door to greet him. He followed the noise of chatter into the dining room, and saw Rory placed in her high chair, clapping excitedly as she tore the paper off of a hastily wrapped gift. He looked down at the package in his own hands, feeling extremely self-conscious.

"Luke! You made it!" Lorelai said, coming around and grabbing his hand. He nearly toppled as she jerked him suddenly, pulling him toward the head of the table where Rory was. "Baby, look who's here!"

Rory paused mid-ripping of paper to look up. She smiled brightly when she saw who it was and dropped the present. "Uke!" she cried, lifting her arms.

"What does she want?" Luke stage-whispered to Lorelai, panicked.

"She wants you to pick her up," Lorelai replied dryly.

"Why?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"I don't know, maybe she likes you?" Lorelai replied, arching an eyebrow in amusement. She took the present from his hands. "Look, Luke brought you a present."

Rory forgot about being picked up, and instead reached for the package. Lorelai ripped a piece of the paper, so that Rory would have a place to start. She pulled at the colored paper until its contents were revealed. "Baby!" she cried, hugging the brown-haired Cabbage Patch Doll to her chest, still in its box. She thrust it at her mother. "Open!" she demanded, and all the other adults chuckled.

"Good job, Luke," Mia said with amusement.

He shrugged sheepishly. "She liked that doll that was in the Independence Inn's lost and found, so I thought maybe she'd like her own." Lorelai smiled up at him as she tore the box apart, trying to detach the doll from its cardboard confines. "The girl at the toy store said these were really popular," he added. Once the doll was free, Lorelai placed it in Rory's arms, and she refused to let go of it for the rest of the evening, no matter what distractions the other adults offered her.

"Looks like your gift was a hit," a husky voice said beside him. Luke jumped, and turned to see Miss Patty appraising him, her lips pursed and eyebrows raised.

"Uh, yeah," Luke said noncommittally.

"She's pretty taken with you," Miss Patty continued, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Ah, I guess so," he mumbled, shuffling a little, feeling agitated by the stare that she was giving him.

"I never thought seeing you with a baby would look so natural," she purred, and with another lingering gaze, she moved on. Luke breathed in relief, and edged himself toward the back of the room.

As the party wound down, Lorelai noticed Luke standing at the edge of the crowd, hands in his pockets. She walked over to him

"Thanks for coming," she said, smiling. "It meant a lot to Rory."

"Yeah," he said, jutting out his chin. "She's cute."

"So did your dad take a look at the house yet?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're going to bring some guys out next week to start the work. Did you want to pick out wallpaper or any of that stuff?"

"Yeah, that would be fun," she replied, her eyes lighting up. There was a tired fussy noise coming from the kitchen, and Lorelai glanced over her shoulder. "I should get Rory to bed," she said apologetically. "Will I see you before Friday?"

"Sure," he replied. "I'll take you and Rory out somewhere, a pre-wedding celebration."

"Sounds great," Lorelai giggled. "See you then, Luke."

"Goodnight," he replied, smiling and shaking his head slightly. He slipped out of the house, unnoticed, anxious to avoid more prying questions from the likes of Miss Patty.

* * *

Two days later, Lorelai was tucking in the sheet in room 2 when she heard a soft knock on the door. She looked up to see Mia holding Rory in her arms.

"Hey," she greeted them, grinning.

"Mama!" called Rory, reaching out her pudgy arms toward her mother.

"Hey, baby," she cooed, scooping her daughter up into her arms and nuzzling her soft baby hair. "Did she want me?" Lorelai asked Mia, looking up.

"It's just about time for us to leave," Mia replied.

"Oh, ok," Lorelai replied. "I'm almost done with this room." She set Rory down on the floor, who immediately began crawling toward the couch. After the finishing touches had been completed, she scooped up Rory, who was happily looking at pictures in the in-room magazines.

"Already a reader," she bragged to Mia, after extricating the magazine from her daughter's grip. Mia led the way to her car in the parking lot. Lorelai buckled Rory in quickly, then slid into the front passenger seat.

"Ready?" Mia asked. Lorelai nodded, and they began driving toward Hartford. Today was the day that Lorelai was getting her physical examination done, and hopefully would leave her appointment with a letter that would convince the state of Maryland to grant them a marriage license.

"So, Lorelai," Mia said, breaking the easy silence between them. "You're getting married in three days."

"Yes," Lorelai replied. She waited for Mia to say something else, but the expression on the woman's face was unreadable.

"Listen," she said finally. "I know Lucas. He's a wonderful boy. But are you really sure this is the right choice for you?"

"He offered," she said with a shrug. "And the truth is, that it would be nice to have a partner in this. I mean, like I already told you there's no expectations. We'd just be friends, that live together. And Jun Kim said she wouldn't let Rory into the nursery school unless she had two parents."

"She said that?" Mia replied, surprised.

"Well, I didn't let her get that far," she admitted. "Luke already offered a few days before, and I just blurted out to her that I was engaged."

"Sweetie," Mia said, smiling slightly. "We can figure something else out, you don't need to get married."

Lorelai shook her head adamantly. "We made this decision and we're going to stick with it," she said firmly. "Besides, I think it would be good, to have someone else to shoulder the load."

"What about Rory's dad?" she asked.

Lorelai sighed heavily. "He's doing a semester abroad," she replied. "He wasn't ready to settle down."

"He found out you were pregnant and took off?" she asked.

"Not exactly," Lorelai said. She leaned back in the chair, staring out the window for a moment, watching the trees and billboards whizz by. "You really want to hear this?" she asked.

"I really do," Mia replied.

Lorelai drew in a deep breath. "My parents decided that we were going to get married. I mean, I was pregnant, it's what is done," she began. "And he agreed, he said he would do it, he would finish high school and then take a job at my dad's company. But I could tell he felt trapped. So I turned him down. I figured that we could still be together, you know, and raise Rory, just not be married. But he didn't see it that way." She closed her eyes, remembering. "He came to the hospital when she was born, but he only saw her through the glass into the nursery. He only actually met her at my parents' Christmas party. She was already almost 4 months old before he even held her for the first time, and his mom had to make him." She opened her eyes, but only fixed them on the road ahead of them.

She felt Mia's gaze on her. "That must have been hard for you," she said softly.

"It was, it was really hard. That's when I knew I'd made the right choice. We never would have worked. It would have been a huge mistake to get married. He would have resented me and Rory, and I couldn't have that." She smiled slightly. "But Luke, he doesn't want to marry me because he wants to keep me around, to not lose me, to not piss off our parents, or because he's gunning to get into my pants. He wants to be a partner to me, a friend, and help with Rory. I mean, how is that not the most amazing thing you've ever heard?"

"It does sound wonderful," Mia said, "but this is a huge commitment. Are you sure this is what you both want?"

"We're sure," Lorelai replied.

"Well, okay then," Mia said, and smiled, though Lorelai could tell that there was still concern hiding behind it.

The obstetrician was an older guy, with white tufts of hair sticking out from behind his ears. Lorelai lay on the examination table, the wax paper crinkling beneath her and the cotton gown itching her skin. He kept up light conversation while he did the examination, asking her questions about her daughter and her job, occasionally asking the accompanying nurse for a tool.

"Alright, then, let's sit up," he said, and Lorelai struggled to get herself upright.

"So what brings you in here today?" he asked, dismissing the nurse and taking a seat at the makeshift desk, where he opened up her chart and began to look over it.

"I'm getting married on Sunday," she said, then cleared her throat in hopes of dispelling the shakiness in her voice.

"Congratulations," he said. "I take it you need some birth control, then?"

"What?" Lorelai asked, startled. "Why?"

The doctor looked up from the chart with a puzzled look. "Then why are you in here? Just making sure everything is good to go for pregnancy?"

"No, no," Lorelai said, shaking her head. She blew out a breath, knowing she had to get to the point quickly. "I'm 17, and so I can't get married unless I have a physician's note saying that I've had a baby recently."

The doctor scratched at his head. "Well, this is a new one for me. Can't say I've heard of this law."

"It's only in a few states," Lorelai explained. "We're driving up to Maryland tomorrow."

"I see," the doctor replied. He set down his pen and turned to face Lorelai fully. "So why now?" he asked.

"Why now, what?" she replied, her nervousness returning.

"You've had the baby," he pointed out. "You are a year postpartum. Why now?"

She sighed. "He's not my daughter's biological father," she admitted. "That guy is… gone."

"Ah," he replied. "I see."

"But Luke–that's my, uh, fiancé," she said, nearly tripping over the word, still unused to it, "he's got a plan. He found us a house and he's going to fix it up, and my daughter adores him. We really, really want to get married."

"But no birth control?" he asked again.

"Um, okay, birth control," she replied, nodding weakly. Just because he prescribes it doesn't mean I have to take it, she reasoned.

After Lorelai got dressed and took both the note and prescription from the nurse, she stepped into the waiting room. Rory was ensconced in Mia's lap with a book settled between them, and Mia was reading softly. It was such a lovely scene, and she thought with slight bitterness that Mia was the type of grandmother that she would have wished for Rory, instead of the one she was dealt by biology, too consumed with the rules of high society to bother doing something as pedestrian as read a book to her granddaughter.

"All done," Lorelai said, not really wanting to ruin the moment, but starting to feel her stomach grumbling.

"Mama," Rory said. "Book!"

"Is it a good book?" Lorelai asked, and Rory nodded emphatically. "You guys hungry?" she asked, hopeful.

"Yes," Mia said, gathering up Rory in her arms and standing, placing the book back into the shelf by the chairs in the waiting room. "How about some burgers for my soon-to-be Danes girls?"

 _Soon-to-be Danes girls._ Lorelai kept coming around to that phrase, over and over, chewing on it like a wad of bubblegum. Along with all of the other things she hadn't really thought too much about, she hadn't thought that she would be changing her name. And it wasn't really a debate for her at this point. The circumstances of the marriage, the con of it all, meant that she needed to dive into this with both of her feet, and Rory's too. Jun Kim wouldn't understand if she kept her own name. She might be able to get by with keeping Rory a Gilmore, but it was hard to reconcile having a different name than her child. It would make everything needlessly complicated.

And so she now had 60 hours to get used to the idea before it became a reality.

* * *

"So where are we going?" Lorelai asked for the third time as they walked through Stars Hollow later that evening. He was carrying Rory in his arms, beginning to get used to the strange feeling of holding a child. Her tiny hands held on tight to his flannel shirt, but she seemed perfectly comfortable behind held by him.

"You'll see when we get there," Luke replied, keeping his tone even. He chanced a glance over at her, the soft breeze playing with her dark curls. She looked over at him and grinned, and he felt something clench inside his stomach. He cleared his throat, as if that could clear away thoughts, too, and stopped in front of Weston's Bakery. He nodded toward the door.

"Ooh!" Lorelai cried gleefully, and pushed it open. The bell tinkled their arrival, and Fran looked up from behind the bakery case, her features overcome by a beaming smile.

"Lucas! You brought your girls, finally!" she said. Lorelai looked over at Luke with a small grin, and he shrugged helplessly.

"Small town," he muttered, trying to hide his own smile.

"What can I get you this evening? Dessert? Coffee? I bet this adorable little girl would like a cookie!" Fran pulled a plate from the shelf and began loading it with things, humming tunelessly.

"Cookie!" Rory chirped, and she clapped her hands together.

"This is heaven, right here," Lorelai declared. "That's it, I'm dead. Dead, and in heaven."

Luke rolled his eyes as he grabbed the lone high chair in the cafe's seating area one-handed, Rory still in his arms. He swung the chair around to one of the tables with ease, and then slipped Rory into the chair. "Eh, eh!" she squealed, reaching her hands out as if she could grasp the cookies from her chair.

"We've got a sweet tooth here!" Fran said jovially, and pushed the plate forward for Lorelai to take.

"How much do we owe you?" Lorelai asked, reaching into her bag.

Fran waved a hand dismissively. "Don't even think about it, dear, I've been looking forward to meeting you."

Lorelai picked up the plate. "Oh?" She turned to Luke. "Are we the hot topic of gossip or something?"

Before Luke could reply, Fran pressed on. "Nothing bad, dear, truly. We're all just excited to have Lucas here finding someone he's happy and settled with. Bill came in yesterday morning and he couldn't stop talking about how lovely you and your little girl are!"

"Oh." Lorelai's cheeks pinked slightly. "Ah, well, thanks," she said, and brought the plate over to the table, where Rory was practically bouncing in the chair, impatiently waiting for her cookie.

Lorelai placed a napkin in front of her and then set the cookie on top, although she shouldn't have bothered. Two little hands picked up the cookie and brought it to her mouth, where she took a bite much too big for her tiny size.

"Did you want some coffee?" Luke asked, watching Lorelai survey the treats piled high onto the plate.

She looked up. "Do you have to ask?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. Luke chuckled, but got up and got the drink for her. By the time he returned, she'd already sampled the pecan tart and the chocolate-raspberry cake, and had moved on to a chocolate donut.

"Mmm, thanks," she said, accepting the warm cup.

"So how was the appointment today?" Luke asked, drumming his fingers against the table.

"Fine," Lorelai replied around a mouthful of sweets. She swallowed. "We got the letter. We're good to go."

Luke nodded, letting out a relieved breath. "That's good."

Fran rushed over, another plate in her hands, this one full of cookies. "I thought the little one might need a couple more," she said, and set the plate on the table.

"More cookie!" Rory said, shoving the last bite of the one in her hands into her mouth, and reaching out for more.

"Here you go," Fran said, passing her one.

Lorelai looked from Fran to Rory and then to Luke, who shrugged. She grinned. "I love this town," she said happily.

* * *

Friday morning dawned with crisp and cool fall weather, perfect for the drive to Maryland. Mia was driving herself on Sunday, unable to take the whole weekend away from the Inn due to a business conference taking place on Saturday. Bill had decided to drive up Saturday, along with family friends Buddy and Maisie, who Lorelai had not yet met but was intrigued about.

Luke had surprised her that morning by driving up to the inn in a little red Toyota. "Where did you get this?" she'd asked, bewildered.

"Mr. Doose sold it to me," he'd replied, shrugging. "It was only a couple thousand," he'd assured her, seeing the look of panic in her eyes. "And it's really new. Not that many miles on it. I don't know why he bought it in the first place."

"Oh," she'd said, walking around it to take a closer look. Luke had already picked up Rory's car seat and was trying to figure out how to install it as she completed the circle around it. Without another comment, she'd buckled Rory in and then slipped into the front seat, already digging around in her bag for cassette tapes to listen to on the drive.

They talked easily, stopping for sandwiches about halfway to Elkton, one of the first towns in Maryland just passed the state line. Luke pulled up outside of a park, and Rory was excited to swing for the very first time. Lorelai stood back, watching Rory shriek excitedly as Luke pushed her on the swing, her heart bursting.

"We should probably find our hotel soon," Lorelai said, as she walked toward them.

"I already made reservations," he said. "So we should go to the courthouse and get our license, and then we can go."

"Sounds good," Lorelai replied, and watching as Luke lifted Rory out of the swing. She protested halfheartedly, but was easily distracted by a book once she was settled into her car seat.

Lorelai was worried the whole drive to the courthouse that the clerk would glare at them and tell them to leave, and that neither of them had any business getting married. Instead, the clerk cooed over Rory, accepted the paperwork without comment, and stamped her approval on the license. They were ushered out quickly, Lorelai feeling almost dizzy from how easy it had been.

"You okay?" Luke asked, glancing over at her as he buckled Rory into her seat.

"Just… processing," Lorelai replied, smiling as he stood up next to her. Luke wrinkled his forehead.

"Are you having second thoughts?" he asked. "Because if you're not sure…"

"No," Lorelai said emphatically. "No second thoughts. I want to do this." She flashed him a bright smile that was only slightly put on. She was actually kind of looking forward to being married, in a way that surprised her. The idea of having a partner, someone on her team, was looking better and better by the day.

"Okay," he said easily, and squeezed her shoulder before he walked around to the front and slipped behind the wheel.

"And now," Lorelai proclaimed, holding up another cassette tape. "Cyndi Lauper."

Luke groaned good-naturedly, and pulled out of the courthouse parking lot, heading toward the motel as 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' played through the car's speakers.

* * *

Lorelai smoothed the skirt of the white dress she was wearing. Seeing the result of her non-virgin status in Mia's arms made her feel slightly weird to be wearing white, but it was all that Mia could come up with on such short notice, and so Lorelai didn't feel like she could protest. Besides, she thought to herself, no one wears white to symbolize virginity anymore. They hadn't bothered to get flowers for the ceremony, so her hands were clasped in front of her. Everyone they had invited was there, standing around the young couple in a show of support.

The justice of the peace regarded them. "Today we are here to celebrate the union of these two people," he intoned, his words serious yet warm. The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur for Lorelai. They said their I dos, they exchanged rings, and then Luke gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. Afterward, they both changed back into their regular clothes, and they all went to a local restaurant for dinner.

Despite the surreal nature of the past few weeks, Lorelai felt a well of happiness bubble up inside of her. She watched as Maisie, one of Luke's invitees to the ceremony, tickled Rory's toes, making her shriek with laughter. Bill and Buddy, Maisie's husband, were deep in conversation about some sort of baseball game. For the first time, she felt like she was a part of a real family, like the kind she had grown up watching on television. Out of the corner of her eye, her new gold wedding band glinted at her, and she smiled at it.

"You good?" Luke said, sitting down next to her at the table.

"I'm great," Lorelai replied. He grinned at her, and then placed a steaming cup of coffee beside her empty plate. "Even better now!" she said happily, then paused, looking at him with a wide-eyed look of awe.

"What?" he said, arching an eyebrow.

"When we move into the house," she said excitedly, "I'll have your amazing coffee all the time!"

"Don't get too used to it," he muttered, but he was smiling. "I don't want you to drop dead and leave me and Rory behind."

"Coffee gives me life," she said, lifting the cup to her lips and breathing in deeply.

Mia stood up then, holding a glass of champagne. "I would like to say a few words," she said, and everyone, including Rory, looked up at her, giving her their full attention.

She cleared her throat. "I've known Lucas since he was a baby, just home from the hospital. I've watched you grow into the man you are today, and I couldn't be prouder. Your mother would be proud, too," she added, and Luke looked down, a pleased smile tugging at his lips. "I've only known Lorelai for a few weeks, but you two seem to have a wonderful friendship, and as I've reflected over your, ah, seemingly hasty decision over the past few days, I've come to realize that there are few better foundations for marriage." She raised her glass, and all the adults followed. "To Luke and Lorelai," she said, and everyone murmured their agreement as glasses clinked against each other.

"Rory, too!" Rory crowed, and everyone laughed, Maisie giving the little girl a hearty squeeze.


	5. Slowly Learning That Life Is Okay

Once the newlyweds were back in Stars Hollow, Lorelai got to work getting all of her papers in order to legally become Lorelai Danes. She praised her foresight at not putting Christopher's name on Rory's birth certificate. She had omitted it simply out of childish rage at his behavior, and all of the pain medication and postpartum hormones had made it seem like an excellent way to toss a passive aggressive 'screw you' in his general direction.

Bill consulted with his own lawyer on their behalf, to see what needed to be done in order for Luke to legally adopt Rory. The lawyer petitioned the family law court for termination of Chris' parental rights, and just as Lorelai expected, he didn't show up to the court date. She wondered if Straub and Francine, Chris' parents, had advised him against showing up, since they likely thought she was only looking for money. Just like that, Rory was legally Luke's daughter, and the process to change her name was put into motion.

The Monday before Halloween, the door to the potting shed opened after a cursory knock, and Lorelai was pleasantly surprised to see Luke walk inside holding two crisp white envelopes. "These were in the mailbox," he said, handing them to her. The logo for the Social Security Administration was in the top left corner, and a smile came over Lorelai's lips.

"It's official!" she said, looking up to Luke, who was wearing a matching grin.

"I thought I could take my girls out for dinner, to celebrate," he said, looking around the potting shed, ostensibly looking for the littlest Lorelai.

"Great!" Lorelai said. "Rory's over at the Inn. Mia wanted to spend some time with her before dinner." She shrugged apologetically. "We usually eat dinner over there."

"We can still eat dinner there, if you want," he said.

Lorelai shook her head. "Nah, we eat there almost every night. Let's go out, it'll be fun." She paused a moment, gathering her jacket and scarf. "Ooh!" she exclaimed. "Let's try Al's Pancake World!"

"Seriously?" Luke asked, curling his lip in distaste. "I can make better pancakes than his with the stuff in my fridge at home."

"Oh, didn't you hear?" Lorelai asked, looping the scarf around her neck and searching for her boots. "He's taken pancakes off the menu. He's going for more of an international cuisine thing now. It's supposed to be like the EPCOT Center of food."

"If you think that reassures me, it doesn't," Luke replied dryly, holding the door open for Lorelai to slip out. There were streaks of purple and orange in the sky, visible through the trees around the inn's property. Lorelai had been glad that none of the trees had fallen during the hurricane, taking away from the shaded ambiance of the grounds. They walked along the path toward the main building, the ground crunching underneath their feet and the breeze swirling between them.

Rory was delighted to see Luke when they walked into Mia's office. She had a fistful of cookie in each hand, and Mia shrugged sheepishly when Lorelai raised her eyebrows. Rory raised her arms up, and this time Luke didn't hesitate before swooping her up, causing the little girl to let out peals of laughter as he playfully tossed her into the air.

"Good to see you, Lucas," Mia said.

"Luke's taking us to Al's to celebrate," Lorelai informed her, reaching out to wipe melted chocolate from the corner of Rory's mouth.

"Oh?" Mia said, grabbing a napkin to help clean up the crumbs.

"Our new social security cards came in. We are both officially Lorelai Danes now."

"That's exciting," Mia said warmly.

"Just need to swing by the office at the church tomorrow and Rory should be all set for the long haul," Lorelai continued. "Ready?" she asked Luke, and he nodded, securing Rory to his hip.

"See you later, Mia," Luke said, lifting his free hand in a wave.

"Bye bye!" Rory called out, and Lorelai grinned at her baby girl and new husband. If she'd had any lingering doubts, they faded away as she watched Luke and Rory interacting. Everything seemed to fit together so perfectly. So what if they weren't in love? She'd been there, done that, and look what it had gotten her. Mia was right; there were worse things to base a marriage on.

* * *

The work on the blue house on Maple street was coming along nicely. Lorelai, with input from Luke in the form of labored sighs, had already chosen new wallpaper for a few of the smaller rooms, choosing to paint over the dark wood paneling in the living room instead of papering. One of the wallpapers, a sweet little rosebud print, had entranced Lorelai so much that he'd gone ahead and splurged on a little extra, just to paper the potting shed for the short duration she and Rory would still be living there.

It was early Tuesday morning, and he had just reached the end of the driveway of their soon-to-be-home, hoping to catch his dad before he'd left. The cold front had moved in, and his breath was coming out in visible puffs as he strode up the lawn, past his father's green truck.

"Aw, shit," Luke heard his dad exclaim as he walked up the steps toward the house.

"Dad?" he called out, looking up into the windows. "You in there?"

"Don't come in here!" he yelled suddenly, and Luke stopped short.

"What's going on?" he called back, and his concern rose when he heard the sound of coughing. Bill appeared at the front door, and he shut it firmly behind him.

"We need to call Jim," he replied, still coughing a little as he stepped gingerly down the stairs.

"Why?" Luke asked, looking back to the house. "What's wrong?" He felt a curl of dread in the pit of his stomach. What if he'd been wrong about everything? What if he couldn't fulfill this role as husband and partner and father? What if–

"Asbestos insulating the pipes," Bill replied. "Can't have you move in with that in there. We'll get the guys to remove it safely, with masks and all of that."

"Did you inhale any?" Luke asked, both relief and worry battling around inside of him. He followed his father down the steps and back onto the lawn.

Bill waved his hand. "Just a little. I'll be fine. But I don't want you going in there." He coughed once more. "And don't bring the girls by until we get it out."

"Okay," Luke replied. "Do I… do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked.

"No, don't worry about it," Bill replied, waving him off again. "Takes more than a whiff to kill you." He looked up at the house again. "We'll probably go ahead and replace all the plumbing. This house was built a couple decades ago, so if it's not all rusted out it will be soon."

They walked over to the truck and got in, Luke unable to push the worries out of his mind.

* * *

Lorelai hung up Rory's coat beside the cubbies in the classroom of the nursery school, then bent down and pressed a kiss to Rory's forehead. "Bye, sweets," she said, and Rory crawled off, going straight toward another little girl who Lorelai was convinced was a relative of Jun Kim's. She stepped out of the classroom and walked toward the wing full of offices, and knocked softly on the door.

Mrs. Kim looked up from the papers on her desk in surprise. "Ms. Gilmore?" she asked, confused.

"Hey," Lorelai said, feeling slightly nervous. She handed over the documents. "We got married on the 13th, and yesterday our new cards came in, so I wanted to update our records with you, since Rory and I both had our names legally changed."

Mrs. Kim took the wallet-sized cards from her, and looked them over, pulling out a drawer on the filing cabinet beside her. "Danes?" she asked, stopping suddenly.

"Uh, yeah," Lorelai said nodding. "I married Luke Danes. He's Bill's son. They run the Hardware store across the–"

"I know who that is," she said shortly. Her brow furrowed. "But it hasn't been that long since…" she trailed off, then snapped back from wherever her thoughts had led her. She stood abruptly. "I will make photocopies of these." And she left the office, going down the hall, leaving Lorelai feeling bewildered at the strange fragment of a sentence that had been uttered.

As she stepped outside the church, she saw the Danes' truck pulling up outside the hardware store. She changed directions, walking toward them, as she saw Luke unfold himself from the passenger seat. He spotted her, and waved, but she could see that he seemed preoccupied.

"Hey," she said, once she'd finally bridged the space between them. "What's going on? You look worried."

"Ah," he said, trying to play it off. "Dad found some asbestos in the house."

"What's that?" she asked. Bill walked around the truck to stand next to them.

"It's a material that is used for insulation, but it can be pretty harmful if the fibers get airborne," Bill said. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I think it's for the best we just get it all out of there. The house is older, there's more chance you'll need to make repairs down the line."

"We're going to replace all the plumbing while we're at it," Luke added. Lorelai looked him over carefully. The unguarded concern that she'd seen from across the square was hidden, and his expression now betrayed nothing out of the ordinary. She filed her observations away into the back of her mind.

"Did you just come from the church?" Luke asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, she made photocopies," Lorelai replied.

"Good," he replied, and squeezed her shoulder.

"I've gotta get back to work," she said.

Luke nodded. "I'll drive you," he said, and Bill and Lorelai exchanged their goodbyes as Luke got back inside the truck.

"Okay, spill," Lorelai said, once they'd begun driving.

"Spill what?" he asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"There's more than just bad insulation going on here," Lorelai said. "And don't try to deny it."

"It's nothing," Luke said, then he sighed. "Dad may have inhaled some of the asbestos," he grudgingly admitted.

"Oh, that's bad," Lorelai replied, wincing. "Is he okay?"

"He says he's fine," Luke said, "but he was coughing and stuff. I don't know, I'm just a little worried he's getting in over his head on the whole house thing."

"Can't you hire some guys to do it?" Lorelai asked. She paused. "I guess that would cost a lot of money."

"Yeah, and Dad wouldn't even consider it when I brought it up. He is planning to call Jim, though. He's a contractor we know, he'll be able to help us get the asbestos out."

"Okay," Lorelai said, still unsure that she'd gotten to the root of the problem. Luke pulled the truck around the circular drive near the main entrance, and Lorelai hopped down. She paused with the door open, unsure if she should say anything else.

"I'm probably just overreacting," Luke said.

"Yeah, probably," Lorelai agreed hesitantly. She shut the door of the truck, and with a quick wave, she watched him circle around and pull back onto the road leading to Stars Hollow.

* * *

Lorelai knew that October 30th was Luke's birthday. Not because he had told her, but due to all the various paperwork they'd filled out over the past few weeks, she'd noticed it. He wasn't making a big deal out of the fact that he was about to be 21, something that was a major milestone event for a typical young adult. Not that Luke was a typical young adult by any stretch of the imagination. Still, Lorelai wanted to do something special. It was their first celebratory event since their marriage, and she wanted to do something celebratory.

So she went into town, trying to find _the_ perfect gift for him, going to store after store and coming up empty. Not that Stars Hollow boasted a lot of different options for the modern shopper, but she needed something other than meowing pot holders or a ceramic unicorn. She was thinking it over with a cup of coffee and a slice of banana bread at Weston's when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned, and instantly recognized Miss Patty, who was grinning hugely at her.

"Lorelai," she purred, her swath of a dress swishing as she turned toward her fully. "I hear congratulations are in order."

"Uh, yeah," Lorelai said.

"I know you've just moved here, but I should tell you that very little happens in this town without it coming across my ears."

"Oh." Lorelai didn't know whether this was a threat or just another quirky Stars Hollow eccentricity, but she swallowed her coffee and smiled anyway.

"Just between the two of us," Miss Patty continued, bending a fraction toward Lorelai, winking conspiratorially, "I never thought anyone would be able to snag Luke Danes other than Rachel. You must have swept him off his feet!"

"Oh yeah, I must have." _Who's Rachel?_

"He was such a mess over the summer, even less talkative than usual. It's good to see him smiling again. Besides, you're a _lovely_ couple. You'll make some beautiful babies." She chuckled heartily. "But no rush on that, you hear? You enjoy that doll, Rory. She's precious. She deserves a little time as the only child, don't you think?"

"Definitely," Lorelai said, trying to keep her smile steady, her teeth threatening to grit into an ugly grimace.

"Well, I need to get going, got another ballet class to teach. You'll be putting Rory in when she's old enough, I hope?"

"Sure, I'll think about it," Lorelai said. Miss Patty swept out of the cafe, leaving Lorelai wondering what on earth she had just experienced.

* * *

Lorelai pushed open the door to Williams Hardware. "Where's the birthday boy?" Lorelai called out, a gift bag in one hand and Rory balanced on her hip. She'd collected Rory after school and headed straight to the store, hoping to surprise Luke.

"He's upstairs putting money in the safe," Bill said, walking around the counter. He held out his arms to Rory. "How's Grandpa's girl?"

"Papa!" squealed Rory, bouncing excitedly against Lorelai's hip, practically lunging into his outstretched arms. Lorelai grinned. Bill had enthusiastically taken on the mantle of grandpa, announcing to Rory almost as soon as the rings were exchanged that she could call him that now. Her little girl translation had transformed it to 'papa' and the word stuck. She adored him almost as much as she adored Luke. It still amused her to no end to see these two gruff men completely besotted by a little girl.

"You can go on up," Bill said. "I'm going to teach Rory how to run the store." He tickled her chin and she giggled. "Lord knows Lucas doesn't want to inherit it."

Lorelai laughed as she walked up the back stairs. The office door was ajar, and all she could see was Luke's denim covered rear end in front of the open safe.

"Hey," Lorelai said, pushing open the door. Luke twisted his body so he could see her, and nodded in greeting. "Whatcha doing?"

"Getting the cash ready for the bank. Gonna bring it by early tomorrow, wanted to get it ready tonight." His eyes narrowed. "What's that?"

Lorelai swung the bag around. "Oh, this?" she asked, dangling it from her fingertips. "Oh, nothing. A little birdie may have told me that today's your birthday."

Luke sat back on his heels, a small smile forming on his lips. "You really didn't have to get me anything," he said.

"Nonsense. Besides, it's barely a present. It's just a little ol' thing." She stepped forward and thrust the bag at him. "Open it." He took it from her, and looked inside. He chuckled, then pulled out the bright blue baseball cap.

"Nice," he said, inspecting it.

"There's a little…" She kneeled next to him, and turned it upside down. She ran her finger over the sweatband inside the cap, where the words "Lucas Danes" were embroidered in a lighter shade of blue than the rest of the hat.

"Thank you," he said, looking up at her.

"You're welcome," she replied, smiling. She slapped her thighs then stood up. "Once you're done, Rory and I want to celebrate. I know you are probably still recovering from Al's, so Mia offered to provide something more to your taste. All we have to do is show up."

He looked around then. "Where _is_ Rory?"

"Your dad thinks she should be the heir apparent for the store," Lorelai said. "He's decided today is her first lesson. I think they are mastering the cash register."

Luke snorted. "Well, he knows hardware isn't really my lifelong passion."

"That's what he said. Come on, let's finish up here and blow this popsicle stand."

Mia had promised a delicious, healthy meal for Luke's birthday, and she didn't disappoint. Chicken piccata with rice pilaf, whole wheat baguettes, and roasted squash graced their plates. Lorelai tried to hide her grimace, and mostly moved the vegetables around her plate, while Rory took a more direct approach and tossed everything but some of the chicken and rice to the floor. Despite Luke's plea to not be served alcohol, Mia insisted he at least have his first legal beer, on the house.

"Are you coming out with us tomorrow night?" Lorelai asked, sopping up some of the sauce with a piece of bread before popping it into her mouth.

"What's tomorrow?" Luke asked.

Lorelai gaped at him, eyes wide. She swallowed roughly. "Halloween, Luke. It's Halloween tomorrow."

"Oh," he replied, nodding. "Forgot. Haven't thought about Halloween since I was a kid."

"Mia found the cutest little pink Care Bear costume for Rory. It's perfect, because it's got fur all over it and it's basically like really hairy footie pajamas. I don't think she'll even need a coat over it."

"Bear!" Rory shouted.

"Yes, bear," Lorelai said, grinning. "So are you in?"

"I don't know," Luke said, hesitating. "Maybe. We'll see."

"What else are you planning to do?" she asked. "Hand out candy at the store?"

"The store closes at 6," he reminded her.

She shrugged. "Then no excuses."

And so the following day, Lorelai and Rory were accompanied by Luke Danes throughout Stars Hollow, knocking on doors to hear Rory squeal "Twick-o-tweet!" as fast as she could get the words out. With every handful of candy dropped into Rory's plastic bucket, Lorelai's eyes lit up and Luke's stomach turned. They took turns carrying her, as Rory still had not made any attempt to walk on her own.

"Should I be worried?" Lorelai asked, as they walked back from the dead end on Peach Street toward the center of town.

"About what?" Luke asked. "About the diabetic coma the two of you are about to go into if you eat all this crap?"

"Hush you," Lorelai said, rolling her eyes. "I mean about the walking. She should be walking, right? One year olds walk."

"How would I know?" Luke asked. "The only other one year old I know is my nephew and he was only a few hours old the last time I saw him."

"Am I doing something wrong?" Lorelai asked, and suddenly, Luke could tell she wasn't just talking for the sake of hearing herself chatter, but was genuinely concerned.

"Hey," he said, shifting Rory over on his other hip and reaching out to grasp Lorelai's hand. "You are an amazing mother. Okay? She will walk. She already talks better than half the goons in this town."

Lorelai sighed heavily. Luke squeezed her hand, and she looked over with a tentative smile. "Thanks," she said softly.

"Don't mention it," he said gruffly. "Now, let's get the two of you back to your place and make yourselves sick on this junk."

* * *

The morning of November 16th, Lorelai woke up with a smile on her face. It was coming, she knew it. Today would be the day, weather forecasts be damned. She dressed in the jeans she had arrived to Stars Hollow in, the only pair she had that still fit correctly, and slipped a wool sweater over her head. For a moment, she watched Rory sleep. Her mouth was slack and her curls were damp around her temples. Lorelai smiled, feeling overcome with heart-bursting love. Not a day went by when she wasn't glad that she had left her parents' home. She hadn't dreamed she would end up to be so lucky.

She rummaged around the shed, getting out her socks and boots, and laying out a warm outfit for when Rory awoke. She really wanted a cup of coffee but hesitated to leave Rory alone. She was debating whether or not she should run down to the main building and get herself a cup when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Luke!" she whispered happily as he peeked his head around the door, looking toward the bed.

"She still asleep?" he whispered back.

Lorelai nodded, and then Luke held up a thermos full that he'd had hidden behind his back. Lorelai jumped up excitedly, and snatched it, inhaling the rich scent of coffee. "Marry me?" Lorelai joked, and Luke rolled his eyes.

They sat down on the tiny beat-up loveseat that Mia had found for her, and Lorelai drank greedily from the thermos. "What do I owe the pleasure of your company today?" she asked, still keeping her voice low.

"The house is ready," Luke replied, just as quietly. "Thought you guys might want to see it, since it's your day off."

Lorelai nodded enthusiastically, then she leaned forward conspiratorially. "It's going to snow today," she said. He raised his eyebrow. "It's true," she continued. "I can smell it."

"You can smell snow?" he said skeptically.

"Mm-hmm," Lorelai mumbled, taking another drink, closing her eyes in rapture at the delicious taste. There was movement on the bed, and Rory sat up, rubbing her eyes. Lorelai set down the thermos and walked over to the bed.

"Morning, baby," she said softly, sitting down next to her and rubbing her back.

"Mama," Rory replied, still groggy.

"Look who else is here," she said, pointing over to where Luke was seated. Rory looked up and followed where her mom was pointing and when she saw Luke, her eyes lit up.

"Uke!" she cried, and started to slide down off the bed. She stood on the floor, as if deciding whether or not to try and take a step, but thought better of it and fell to her knees. She crawled over to him and he picked her up, resting her on his knee. "Uke," she said, pointing to his chest. "Rory," she continued, pointing to herself, although she couldn't yet pronounce her Rs clearly and it sounded more like "oh-wee".

"Luke is going to take us to the new house," Lorelai said, putting her quilt back in place on the bed, and picking up the outfit she had laid out earlier.

"House?" Rory said, trying out the word.

"You got it," Lorelai said. She dressed her quickly and gave her a small baggie of Cheerios to snack on. Luke had pulled the car to the parking lot in the very back of the building so they didn't have to walk too far in the cold.

"So, when can we move in?" Lorelai asked, as Luke turned onto the road.

"Well, we'll pick out a few last minute things, like paint, and then we'll get the furniture. I think we should be able to move in by the end of the month."

"That's so cool," Lorelai said, grinning.

Once they drove up the driveway, Lorelai could almost not contain her excitement. The changes were subtle, but there. The missing shingles had been replaced, the outside paint touched up. The wood on the front porch was new and even, and the front door had been replaced with a solid mahogany one with a large tempered glass window. The lawn had been tamed and a few evergreen shrubs had been planted around the porch, dotting the plant beds with green in the newly placed mulch.

Faster than Luke had ever seen her move without food involved, Lorelai jumped out of the car immediately after the ignition had been turned off and flew to the back seat to get Rory out. She turned the baby toward the house, showing off their soon-to-be new home.

"House!" Rory said happily. Luke walked around the car and met them at the foot of the porch steps.

"Ready for the grand tour?" he said, smirking at their excitement.

"Yes, please," Lorelai said.

"Peese!" Rory parroted.

He showed them the hardwood floors that had been hiding under a disgusting olive green shag carpet in the living room, the new sink they had installed in the kitchen, and the bathroom tiles they had salvaged from construction leftovers in Litchfield. Lorelai oohed and aahed over all the minor and not-so-minor details that he showed them, delighted by all of the small touches he and Bill had thought to add to the house.

"It's wonderful," Lorelai said dreamily, fingering some curtains in the kitchen. She smoothed her hands over the counters, taking in the wide, as yet unfurnished, space. "We just need a kitchen table, some couches, a few beds, and we'll be all ready to move in."

"I've been checking the Stars Hollow Gazette every week to see if anyone has furniture for sale," Luke said. "I think there's a kitchen table someone is trying to get rid of, we can go see it later."

"We can probably have the loveseat that's in the potting shed," Lorelai added. Rory was seated on the floor of the kitchen, arranging her remaining Cheerios in a line on the floor. "What do you think, Rory?" she asked.

Rory looked up, and said, "Where Papa?"

"He's probably at the store," Luke said, and Rory got to all fours and began crawling toward the door just off the kitchen, abandoning her snack-turned-toy.

"Where are you going?" Lorelai asked, chuckling.

"Go store," Rory replied.

"I think she wants to go see your dad," Lorelai said to Luke, and he smiled.

"You want to go see Papa?" he asked, crouching down in front of her.

"Papa!" she cried, and Luke scooped her up as she giggled.

Lorelai picked up the Cheerios and joined Luke and Rory at the car just as he'd finished buckling the little girl in. "We can pick out paint colors at the same time," she said, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Sure," he said, and eased the car onto Maple Street toward town.

Lorelai's cheeks were pink from the cold when they returned back to the Independence later that afternoon, going in through the main doors. She set Rory down by one of the couches in the sitting area, and Mia walked up to them.

"So is it move-in ready?" Mia asked, looking back and forth between Lorelai and Luke.

"Just about," Luke said. "We're going to paint the bedroom upstairs and maybe in the kitchen, we haven't decided yet."

"Wonderful," Mia said. "I know the potting shed is pretty small. You must be excited."

"Oh, I am," Lorelai answered. "Rory is, too, she…" Lorelai turned to look at where she left Rory, and gasped in surprise as she saw Rory take a few tentative steps, trying to reach a book. "Oh my god!" she cried, and Mia and Luke turned to follow her gaze.

The outburst made Rory turn suddenly, and she fell onto her rear with a thump. She looked around, surprised, but instead of crying, she rolled to her hands and knees and crawled back to her mother. Lorelai scooped her up, and turned to face Luke, but then she gasped again.

"What?" Luke said, turning, wondering what else she could have seen.

"It's snowing!" Lorelai said, pointing out the windows. Sure enough, flakes were falling from the sky, fat snowflakes that collected on the window panes and the bench just outside. Before Luke could respond, Lorelai had dashed out the front doors, Rory still in her arms.

When he caught up with her, she was gazing up at the sky, letting the flakes land gracefully on her eyelashes and cheeks, Rory mimicking her mother's behavior. "Snow is magical," she murmured, feeling Luke's presence beside her.

"Magical," he repeated, unable to tear his eyes away from her.


	6. Knee-deep In The Hoopla

"So, how are we going to do this?" Lorelai asked, bringing up another box into the master bedroom upstairs and setting it on the floor. They were bringing a few small boxes and some furniture in before they were going to paint the following day. It wasn't too often that Mia was able to watch Rory for an afternoon, so the short amount of time they were able to squeak out was valuable.

"Do what?" he asked, looking up from reassembling the dresser, sliding the drawers into their track grooves.

"The, uh, sleeping situation," Lorelai said, flushing slightly.

"Ah," he replied. "Well, I can sleep downstairs in the other bedroom and you and Rory can have this room."

Lorelai her hands on her hips and wrinkled her nose. "Won't that raise questions?" she asked.

"From who?" Luke asked, standing up straight. "Who's going to know?"

"Uh, 3 feet high, likes cookies, answers to Rory?"

"She won't know any better," he replied, scratching the back of his neck.

"Eventually, she'll have questions. She'll want to know why we're married but not sleeping in the same room."

"Is that a big deal? We've got a few years to come up with something."

"I guess," Lorelai said, unconvinced.

Luke shoved his hands in his back pockets, looking around at the still empty room. "I guess we could put two twin beds in here," he mused.

Lorelai nodded, thinking. "Like Lucy and Ricky?" she asked.

"Who?" he replied, already envisioning how the two beds would fit in the room and hardly listening.

" _I Love Lucy_ , duh," Lorelai replied, and Luke looked over his shoulder, his brows still knitted together. "The TV show?" she prodded.

"Oh, yeah, sure" he replied dismissively. "Do you want the beds pushed together?"

"Whatever is easier," she said, and Luke walked over to the toolbox resting on the floor beside the door and pulled out a tape measure.

"We'll definitely have more available space if we push them together," he said, mumbling slightly as if he wasn't talking to Lorelai at all. He straightened. "Would that be weird for you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm the one who suggested we share a room."

He nodded decisively. "Do you think Mia will give us the bed from the potting shed?" he asked.

"I don't see why not," Lorelai replied.

"I can bring mine from Dad's place," he said thoughtfully, measuring the room from different angles. He sat back on his heels after measuring the wall by the large window facing the front lawn. "I think we might even have a crib for Rory," he said thoughtfully. "Dad bought one when we thought Liz might come back and raise Jess here after Jimmy left, but I don't think we even put it together."

"That would work out well," Lorelai said, nodding. "She can have the downstairs bedroom. We're going to need to get a baby gate for the stairs."

"Right," he replied. "We can take the truck into Hartford. They have a baby store there. We'll get sheets and whatever else we need at the same time."

"Um," Lorelai hedged, "do we, um, that is, I don't have a lot of money."

"Don't worry about it," Luke replied, waving her off.

Lorelai looked taken aback. "Don't _worry_ about it?" she repeated.

He walked back over to the toolbox and dropped the measuring tape in. "Yeah, I have a lot of money saved and Dad said to make sure Rory had what she needed. We won't go crazy, but we'll make sure she's got the basics."

"Oh," Lorelai replied, feeling that strange surreal feeling wash over her again.

* * *

They officially moved in a few days before Thanksgiving. It was a cold, overcast day, the temperatures hovering above freezing, but Luke was tempted to shuck off his jacket after the third piece of furniture he and his dad moved up the stairs. Between the two of them, they loaded and unloaded the truck for multiple trips, while Lorelai and Mia unpacked the boxes and made sure that Rory didn't crawl in the path of anyone moving something heavy.

Lorelai stepped outside just as Luke and Bill pulled into the driveway with another load. She was just about to walk over to the truck when a movement out of the corner of her eye took her attention. There was a man walking over, his hand held up in a wave.

"Hello, neighbor!" he called out, and Lorelai waved back. The man looked over toward the men climbing out of the truck and stopped short. "Bill?" he asked, incredulous.

"Hey, Art," Bill called, and he began walking over to where the man had stopped, midway across the lawn.

"Are you guys moving here?" he asked, scratching his head.

"No, no, Lucas and his wife are moving in here, we just fixed it up. Funny we never ran into each other while we were working on it."

"Yeah, I guess we just kept missing each other while I was at the shop." Art turned back to Lorelai, looking her up and down. "I thought you were Lizzie and had gone and dyed your hair," he said, and chuckled.

"Ah, no," Lorelai said, smiling. She walked over, extending her hand. "I'm Lorelai. Nice to meet you."

"Art Brush," he replied, giving her hand a hearty shake. "I own the candy store in town." He leaned in closer, and winked conspiratorially. "Sometimes I practice new recipes in my kitchen, so feel free to stop by anytime."

"Oooh, goody!" she said, clapping excitedly.

"Don't tell her that," Luke groaned. "She'll be camped out in your kitchen twenty-four seven."

"Rory will be excited, too," Lorelai said. She turned back to Art. "That's my daughter. She just turned a year old last month. She's a very enthusiastic eater of things."

"Wonderful, I can't wait to meet her," he said genially. "I have to run to the shop, but anytime you see the bike out front, that probably means I'm home. Nice to meet you," he said to Lorelai, then walked toward the red ten speed bike leaning against a tree in the front yard. With a wave, he pushed off and rode toward town.

"A candy factory right next door," Lorelai marveled. "What a time to be alive!"

It took them all morning and a good portion of the afternoon before all the boxes and furniture were inside, and another few hours before beds were all assembled and sheets were placed. Lorelai saw Bill and Mia give each other a curious glance at the bedroom arrangement that she and Luke had settled on, but somehow it seemed less embarrassing to her than if they had seen a double bed intended for sharing.

Despite the fact they she was married to Luke, he had never doubled back on his promises to keep things strictly platonic between them, and she really appreciated how he respected that. He never ogled her, made any lewd remarks, or so much as flirted with her, and it gave her a sense of safety that had been sorely missing in her life up to this point. And the best part was that they truly enjoyed each other's company. During their time as newlyweds living apart, Luke had made a point to come by every few days to see them, bringing food or coffee, sometimes passing along a gift from one of the townies for Rory. Sometimes she forgot that she was married, because it seemed more like she was just hanging out with her very best friend.

As the evening was winding down, Luke cleaned up the empty pizza boxes in the kitchen as Lorelai said goodnight to Bill and Mia. He heard the front door shut, and then it was just the three of them.

"Our first night in the new house," Lorelai said, as she walked back into the kitchen. Rory toddled behind her, still unsteady on her feet but quickly mastering the art of walking. Lorelai reached for a glass in the cupboard and poured herself some water from the tap.

"Yep," Luke said, still tidying.

"Is this weird for you?" she asked, and he looked up to see her staring down inside the glass.

"No," he replied. "Is it weird for you?" he asked.

"A little," she said, and she looked up. "The last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind," she admitted.

He nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Lorelai set the glass on the counter, and turned to Rory, who had found a napkin on the floor and was swishing it around, wiping up pretend messes with it. "Do you want to take a bath, Rory?" Rory looked up at her mother and nodded, trying to get to her feet. Lorelai scooped her up. "We'll be upstairs," she said, and Luke nodded.

After living in the potting shed that only had a large sink inside, baths were a luxury. Lorelai had taken to showering with Rory, ducking into rooms while they were being cleaned by other staff members. If that didn't work out, she had to ask Mia if she could come by her house, something that always made her a little uncomfortable. But now they had two entire bathrooms with which to enjoy, and she intended to make the most of it.

She squeezed some bubble bath into the running water, then handed the colorful bottle to Rory, who pranced around the bathroom without her clothes on. She held the bottle up high and said, "Pretty lady." Lorelai looked at the plastic molded into the shape of a Barbie doll, and smiled.

"Not just a pretty face," Lorelai said, tapping the top of the doll's head. "She's also a teacher, a businesswoman, and an astronaut. I bet she'll be president someday."

"Pessident?" Rory asked, holding still, looking down at the doll in wonder.

"Yeah, that's like, boss of the whole country," Lorelai said. She checked the temperature and then stood.

"I be pessident," Rory said, as Lorelai lifted her from underneath her arms and set her into the warm, frothy water.

"You can be anything you want to be, baby," Lorelai said. "You can be president, and live in the White House, and solve world hunger. I know you can."

"Mama come, too," Rory said, picking up the bubbles in her hands and blowing them away, giggling as they danced in the air before landing back on the water.

"You won't be able to keep me away," Lorelai said, grinning.

She soaped up and rinsed off Rory's tiny body, tickling her as she went, while Rory prattled on about being a 'lady pessident'. Then she toweled her dry, dressing her into her warm fleece pajamas.

As she tucked Rory into her crib, rubbing her back as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, she knew that she had to figure out a way to distract herself from being nervous about her first night sharing a room with Luke. She didn't know why all of a sudden she was so worried about it. It had been her idea, after all. She decided she needed to break the ice in one of the best ways she knew how.

"Hey," she said, walking into the living room. Luke was sitting in front of the television that Bill had given them, trying to make sense of all the wires on the floor.

"Hey," he replied, finally finding what he was looking for, and plugging it in.

"Do we have TV yet?" she asked, sitting gingerly on the edge of the coffee table.

"Cable's getting hooked up on Wednesday," he said. "But Mia gave us a video player, so there's that. I don't have any videos though, so we can maybe rent some."

"I have some movies," Lorelai said, perking up. Her plan was going to work perfectly. "Do you want to watch one?" she asked.

"Uh, okay," Luke said. She ran up the stairs, knowing exactly which movie she wanted to share with him. When she returned, she thrust the video at him, the case worn around the edges, obviously well-loved.

"No way," Luke said, staring at the title.

"No, come on, it'll be great," she said. "Have you seen it?"

"I haven't seen it and I have no desire to," he replied frankly.

"I promise you won't regret it," Lorelai begged, and he looked at her for a moment before exhaling forcefully.

"Fine," he said, and pushed _Love Story_ into the video player, while Lorelai ran into the kitchen to get some popcorn. Once she returned with her bowl, she settled next to Luke on the couch to watch the movie, already feeling her nerves settling from the familiar comfort of the movie.

"See, look, sports!" Lorelai said, nudging Luke in the side with her elbow. Luke grunted noncommittally. A few minutes later she nudged him again. "Poker! See, all kinds of manly things in this movie."

"Would you stop doing that?" he asked, rubbing his sore side.

"Sorry," Lorelai said, smirking. She picked up the bowl of popcorn and nestled it into her lap.

"Ah, geez," Luke groaned when the sex scene began a few minutes later.

"What?" Lorelai asked, looking over. His eyes were dropped to his feet. She laughed. "They are barely showing anything! Besides, it's the world's shortest sex scene. Not even any grunts, the Mozart is too loud."

"Not helping," Luke said, but the scene was over quickly, just as promised.

"Mr. Shy over here," Lorelai tittered, and Luke glared at her. Lorelai imitated zipping her mouth closed, but the silence didn't last.

"Now I know why you like this movie," Luke said, watching the romantic leads frolic in the snow.

"It's part of the charm," Lorelai admitted. She offered the popcorn bowl to Luke, but he demurred.

After that, the only sounds were some agitated grunts and sighs coming from Luke. Any time she turned to look at him, his eyes were focused on the screen ahead.

When the credits began to flash on the screen, Luke leaned back against the couch and said, "Finally!" Lorelai looked over with a raised eyebrow. "What?" he asked defensively. He gestured toward the TV. "What was she even dying of, anyway?"

"Does it matter? The point isn't what her diagnosis is," Lorelai said, curling her legs underneath her.

"And what's this bullshit about never saying you're sorry? If you mess up, you should apologize. I don't get it," Luke huffed, crossing his arms. "He didn't realize what a good thing he had until it was gone. And that business about her not going to Paris because of him? Unbelievable. She should have dumped his sorry ass then."

Lorelai smiled. She was starting to see a more passionate side to Luke and it was fascinating. "I don't think the point is that you should never _be_ sorry, just that when you love someone, forgiveness is implied. It's not earned, it's just… there." Luke looked over at her curiously. She sighed, leaning back against the couch, unfurling her long legs to rest her feet on Luke's lap. "This movie is, for me, like Cinderella was for a lot of girls my age. Other girls were daydreaming about fancy ball gowns but I was dreaming about going to Harvard and meeting the true love of my life, where we'd banter back and forth and kiss to shut each other up."

"You think this is some kind of romantic ideal?" he asked incredulously.

"Maybe not now, but for 12 year old me, sure."

They fell silent, watching the credits flash across the screen. "You wanted to go to Harvard?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah," Lorelai said. "I mean, I don't know if I had the grades to get in. Yale was a definite possibility. My father is an alumnus, he could probably have pulled strings. Chris is supposed to go to Princeton, but I don't know if he's even applied yet."

"Wow," said Luke, scratching absently as his neck.

"What?" Lorelai asked.

"I just never realized," Luke said hesitantly.

"Never realized what?"

He exhaled forcefully through his nose, then looked away for a moment. He was working his jaw, as he struggled to explain himself. "I barely even thought about college," he finally said. "Not even for a moment."

"No? Didn't your Dad encourage you to go?"

"Naw," he said. "It's not like he wouldn't have helped me if I'd decided I wanted to, but we have the store. We have a source of income. He didn't go to college, my mom didn't go to college. Liz barely graduated high school." His looked down at Lorelai's sock-covered feet in his lap. "It's just a different world. I mean, god. Yale, Lorelai."

"Yeah," she said softly. "But then the strip turned blue."

"Do you, uh, do you wish you could have gone to Yale?" he asked. "If you hadn't gotten pregnant?"

"I don't have any regrets," Lorelai said firmly. "I was meant to be Rory's mom. She's amazing. She gives me life. Once I found out about her, I haven't ever for one single second wanted her to not exist."

He nodded, and smiled sadly. Lorelai didn't know if he was thinking about her opportunities that had slipped away, his own, or maybe his sister's. She wanted to lighten the mood a little. "Besides, maybe that can be Rory's dream. Harvard," she added. "My sweet little girl dressed in crimson and white." She sighed happily, resting her cheek against the back of the couch again. "Can you imagine it?"

"I can," Luke said simply, sharing her smile.

* * *

Lorelai wasn't sure how the decision was made for them to have Thanksgiving dinner in their small home, rather than Bill's much larger one, but either way, Luke spent the morning cooking up a storm and refusing her help at every turn. Even after only living together a few days, he'd quickly surmised that she was a hindrance rather than a help in the kitchen, particularly when she hadn't known the difference between a spatula and a ladle.

Instead, Rory and Lorelai unpacked the last few boxes, mostly things for Rory's bedroom. She found a few brand new toys that Bill had snuck inside them, and shook her head. Rory was thrilled, of course, and the second she heard the front door open, she was off like a shot, brandishing her new treasures.

"Hey, kiddo!" she heard Bill say from the foyer, and getting up, she walked over to where Rory was already up in Bill's arms, being tickled and fussed over.

"Hey, Dad," Luke said, joining the rest of them. "Food's about ready." He turned to Lorelai. "Can I trust you to set the table?" he asked, quirking his lips teasingly. She huffed and pretended to be offended, following Luke into the kitchen, Bill and Rory following behind.

Lorelai looked around the small table. Luke was seated across from her, with Bill to her left. Rory was perched in a high chair to her right, her eyes wide at the assortment of food on the table. Lorelai carefully spooned some mashed potatoes into a little plastic bowl, her daughter watching her every move with bated breath. She set it on the tray and was about to reach for the bowl of green beans when Rory squealed. Tiny hands were already full of mashed potatoes, trying to squeeze out the deliciousness through her fists directly into her open mouth. Lorelai couldn't help but giggle at her sweet baby's enthusiasm for starchy carbs. Looking around, she saw Bill's mouth curved in a slight smile. When she met Luke's eyes, he looked baffled.

Lorelai shrugged helplessly. "She likes potatoes," she said simply.

"Can't remember the last time it was more than just the two of us for Thanksgiving," Bill said, after everyone's plates were piled high with food.

"How long has Liz been gone?" Lorelai asked, lifting a succulent bite of turkey to her lips.

The men exchanged a glance. "Uh, she graduated in 1984," Luke said, poking at his food.

"That's not so long ago," Lorelai said, confused.

"Lizzie chose to spend her time other ways," Bill said, and his tone indicated he was done with the topic of his prodigal daughter.

"Oh," Lorelai said softly, looking down at her food, regretting she had brought up the topic. Thankfully, Rory chose that moment to gleefully bang her bowl against the tray of the high chair.

"More!" she squealed.

Once everyone was filled to bursting, Luke and Bill began to wrangle Rory into her tiny winter parka, on a mission to go to the U-Pick Christmas tree farm a few miles up the highway. Rory was yawning already, stuffed from gorging on mashed potatoes and stuffing, as they pushed her arms through the sleeves. Lorelai busied herself with dishes, scrubbing furiously in an attempt to distract herself when Luke came up beside her.

"I'm sorry about earlier," he said softly. "Things with Liz are kind of a sore spot with Dad."

"I know, I shouldn't have said anything," Lorelai said quickly, feeling her irritation melt away at the apologetic tone of his voice.

"You didn't know." He sighed. "He feels like he failed, but Liz is just stubborn. Try not to take it personally, okay?" He squeezed her shoulder affectionately.

"Okay," Lorelai said, nodding. She turned to him, replacing her unease with a bright smile. "Now, go get us the best tree ever!"

* * *

As November turned to December, Lorelai started looking forward to the holidays. The Danes men had brought back the fattest tree they could find on the lot, which delighted Rory to no end. Mother and daughter spent hours stringing popcorn and Froot Loops together, and making construction paper garlands. Bill brought over some of the decorations that he had in the house, including some adorable felt and popsicle stick creations a young Luke had glued together, which Lorelai mercilessly teased him over. She loved their mismatched, hodgepodge collection of ornaments. It was nothing like the perfectly decorated trees that looked as though they had fallen into the Gilmore mansion straight out of Architectural Digest. She thought their tree was much more beautiful.

The Inn was experiencing a minor drop in guest traffic and so Lorelai found herself done with work earlier than usual. Often, she'd had to speed through the last of the rooms, particularly if there had been any late checkouts, but today she had more than an hour before she needed to pick up Rory from school. She walked through the heart of Stars Hollow, light snow falling around her. She peeked into the book store, wondering if one of the books she had planned to get for Rory was in stock.

She walked in, hearing the bell tinkle above the door.

"Hello," said a man from behind the cash register. "Can I help you find something?"

She walked over, tugging her cap off her head. "I'm looking for a book that came out recently. There's a Christmas train, I think?"

"Ah, _The Polar Express_ ," he said, nodding. "I'm sorry, I've sold all my copies and I'm having a really hard time getting more. It's been very popular."

"Oh," Lorelai said, disappointed. She knew Rory would have loved it.

"But," he said, "I have a friend in Woodbridge that owns a bookstore. He might have a copy."

"Really?" Lorelai asked, feeling her hopes rise.

"Yeah," he said. "I'll call him right now, get him to put it on hold for you. What's your name?"

"Lorelai," she said. "Lorelai Gil— uh, Danes."

"Oh, Luke's wife," he said, nodding. Lorelai blushed. Did everyone know everything about everyone else in this town?

"Yeah, that's me," she said.

He extended his hand. "I'm Andrew. I own this store. It's good to finally meet you."

"You, too," Lorelai said, shaking the proffered hand. Andrew disappeared into the back room for a moment, then came out with a thumbs-up.

"He's got one saved with your name on it," he said.

"I appreciate that so much," Lorelai said. "Rory will love this book, I know it."

"You should bring her by. We have a volunteer that does storytime on Saturday mornings."

"Oh, I will, thanks!" Lorelai said, and she ducked back outside. The snow was still falling, and she felt light and happy. She took her good mood straight to Williams Hardware, the same tinkling bell sound bringing a Pavlovian response of joy in her. This entire town was magical, and she fell in love with it more every day.

"I don't care if Jesus himself is in the pageant, I am not putting up fliers in my store windows!" she heard an annoyed voice say as she stepped through the threshold.

"But William, I don't think you realize how these town events are so beneficial for the economy. Tourists are attracted to these town events, and that brings more business for us all."

"Tourists aren't coming to Stars Hollow to buy hammers and nails. Now take your fliers somewhere else!"

"But if you'll just consider—"

"Taylor, I swear to god," Bill warned, and the man lifted a hand in surrender. He began walking toward the entrance where Lorelai still stood.

"Young lady, would you like a—" he began, once he spotted her.

"Taylor!" Bill bellowed, and he gave a quick nod and slipped past Lorelai and began walking down the sidewalk.

"Who was that?" Lorelai asked, as she walked up to the register.

Bill rolled his eyes as he paged through a supply catalog. "Taylor Doose. He's the youngest person ever to be Town Selectman, and he thinks he can bend everyone's will to participate in these ridiculous town events."

"What town events?" Lorelai asked, interested.

"Oh, the usual," he said, waving an arm. "Pageants and festivals, all of that hooey."

"You don't participate in any of them?" she asked.

"Only the war reenactment," he replied. He looked up from his sheaf of papers. "But that's to honor those who served in the war. It has a purpose."

"Oh," Lorelai replied, working hard to hide a smirk. "Is Luke around?"

"He had to pick up a shipment in Hartford, he'll be back in an hour or so." Bill bent forward, looking down around Lorelai's feet. "Where's my little one? Hiding her in a bucket?"

"Still at school," Lorelai said. "I got off early, so I was walking around town." She sighed happily. "I love it here."

Bill looked up at her after she said that, something passing in his eyes. She was about to ask what he was thinking, when he quirked his mouth in a little smile and said, "I'm glad to hear it."


	7. A Little Time To Think Things Over

The following day was Saturday, which meant Lorelai had the day off. Mia had worked it out with her to get as many weekends off as possible, causing a bit of dissension among the other maids, but so that Lorelai could spend more time with Rory, since there was no school those days. However, her internal clock still caused her to get up earlier than she used to before working at the Inn, and after tossing and turning a few times, she yanked the sheets away, grumbling a little.

"What's with you?" Luke asked, as she walked into the kitchen. He already had a pot of coffee brewing and bacon sizzling on the stove.

"I can't sleep in anymore," Lorelai said, whining.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"You're a morning person," she scoffed. "You don't understand."

"Here," he said, thrusting a mug into her hands. "Coffee's almost done. It's the only thing that makes you pleasant in the mornings."

Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him as she walked over to the brewer and pulled out the carafe, letting the coffee drip directly into her mug until brewing was complete, then filled it to the brim from the carafe.

"What are you doing today?" she asked, after taking her first delicious sip.

"Uh, didn't really have anything planned," he said. "I could maybe go by the store and see if Dad needs anything."

"I have a book for Rory being held for me at a bookstore in Woodbridge," she said. "Want to do a little Christmas shopping? I could probably get Mia to watch Rory for a few hours."

He used tongs to place the bacon strips onto a paper towel, and looked over at her. "Okay, sure," he said easily.

* * *

Once Lorelai had her hands on her promised copy of The Polar Express, she was feeling so giddy that she dragged Luke all around the bookstore, looking at all the displays and oohing over assorted titles that she thought Rory would love. The store was pretty crowded, and although Luke tended to feel irritation anytime he would get jostled in the crush, Lorelai seemed to glow even brighter, pealing out a giggle and an 'excuse me!' before pulling on Luke's arm to show him something else that she had spotted.

"I'm going to look in the kids stuff some more," Luke said, jerking a thumb back towards the kids' section.

"Ok," Lorelai agreed. "I'm going to check out the magazines. See what celebrity gossip is hot off the presses." She gave him an exaggerated wink, and he laughed. She walked away, practically skipping, she was so hyped up from the holiday crowds. With a smirk, he turned and began to peruse the kids' books again. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but having Rory around all the time made him think about Jess. He wanted to send Liz something that she couldn't just buy drugs with, or sell at a pawn shop, or barter with for cigarettes and booze. He didn't know much of what she was doing, but the snippets he'd heard were enough to be worrisome.

After choosing a couple books he thought Jess might enjoy, based on the short time he'd had Rory and Lorelai in his life, he started toward the newsstand of the bookstore, looking around for her blue coat and her knit cap. He spotted her over by the tabloids, rifling through a brightly colored magazine, and was about to walk over to her when a tall blond guy stepped up to her.

"Hey, there," he heard the guy say. Luke stepped back, until he was partially covered by a display of paperbacks.

She turned, and directed her mega-watt smile at him. "Hey," she replied easily.

"Catching up on Sly Stallone?" he said, nodding toward the magazine in her hands. She flipped to look at the cover and laughed.

"Yeah, guess he's off the market now," she giggled. "Too bad."

"You want to grab a cup of coffee?" he asked. Luke felt his blood racing through his veins. He wanted to go over there and punch that guy in the face, and the ferocity of that urge startled him. _Back off, buddy, she's mine_ , he couldn't help but think to himself.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lorelai said, looking genuinely apologetic. "I'm married."

"All you have to do is say you don't want to," the guy replied, looking somewhat offended.

"No, really, I am," she replied. She pulled off her glove and wiggled her left hand in his direction, her gold ring gleaming in the brightly lit store, the matching engagement ring sparkling alongside it. Luke felt a sense of satisfaction settle over him, as the guy smiled politely and left. He watched as Lorelai fitted the glove back onto her hand and went back to her magazine, as if nothing had happened at all. He wondered if she was hit on frequently, and if she deftly deflected them all just as easily as she had this one.

He squared his shoulders and walked toward her. "Hey," he said, sidling up beside her. She looked up and smiled widely.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" she asked, looking down to his hand.

He held up the two books. "For Jess," he said, shrugging with slight embarrassment.

"Ooh, great idea," she said, and she looped her arm around his, turning him towards the registers. He felt that satisfaction all the way to his toes, hoping the blond could see them as they walked away.

* * *

The new little family fell into a routine that, if Lorelai had stopped to think about it, would have made her laugh in its abject domesticity. Every morning, Lorelai would slap blindly at the alarm clock, hitting it to snooze while Luke would get out of his own bed immediately. Once Lorelai stumbled downstairs, freshly showered and dressed, he'd place whatever breakfast that he'd assembled in front of her, and lecture her about whatever sugary condiments she added to it. Then, with a thermos of Luke's amazing coffee in her hands, she'd take the Toyota to work, leaving Luke to get himself and Rory ready for the day.

After Rory was dressed and fed breakfast, he'd walk her to the church and drop her off, then continue on to the hardware store to put in his own work day. After Lorelai finished with her shift at the Inn, she'd be just in time to pick up Rory at the end of her school day. The two of them would fill their afternoons with fun games or small field trips, and then they'd all meet up at the house for dinner once Luke had helped close up the store. After Rory's bath and bedtime story, she'd be tucked into her crib for the night, and the two adults would watch a movie or play a game of cards until Luke could hardly keep his eyes open any longer, and the two would head upstairs to bed.

It felt like perfection, and Lorelai was perfectly content, hidden away in Stars Hollow with her husband and daughter. But as with most things, it couldn't last.

The next week, she was back to work when she realized she needed to mention something to Mia about the towels returning from the cleaning service not entirely clean. She strode into the foyer of the Inn, where Mia was currently at the front desk, relieving the desk manager for her lunch break. She'd barely gotten Mia in her sight when she was startled out of her mission.

"Lorelai Gilmore!" she heard a familiar voice shriek, and her heart stopped. It was all too good to be true, this time that had passed without being caught. And now here she was, a married woman and a mother, still reduced to feeling like a five year old with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Mom, hi," she said lamely, smoothing her uniform nervously.

Emily cast a disapproving glare up and down the height of her daughter, starting at the worn out tennis shoes and ending at the messy ponytail her hair was pulled back in, scoffing at the maid's uniform in between. "Well, when you set out to embarrass the family, you don't go halfway," she said coolly.

"Good to see you, too," Lorelai said, frowning.

"So I hear you've gotten married," she continued. Lorelai's mouth gaped open.

"H-how did you know?" she stuttered. She'd been so careful to have all her important documents mailed to the P.O. Box in Stars Hollow that she and Luke had opened before they were able to accept mail on Maple Street.

"Seriously, Lorelai, I couldn't let you run off and not even attempt to find you. What kind of mother do you think I am? I had to make sure you and Rory were safe." A rare flash of vulnerability washed over her, and Lorelai felt a stab of something that felt like affection. Then Emily continued, "I had to make sure you hadn't killed her or yourself with sheer stubborn stupidity." The affectionate feelings died instantly, and Lorelai's face hardened into a sneer.

"Thanks for your faith in me, mother," she replied, her voice matching Emily's icy tone.

Emily harrumphed, then squared her shoulders. "You'll bring him to our Christmas party next week," she said, brooking no room for argument.

"But I, what–" Lorelai stammered helplessly. This is not how she expected this conversation to end up.

"And Susan, too, of course."

"Oh my god, her name is Rory," Lorelai snapped.

Emily didn't react. "Saturday night. Seven o'clock. Don't be late, Lorelai. Show me that courtesy, at least." And with a prim turn, Emily stalked out of the Independence Inn on her expensive yet tasteful heels.

* * *

"No!" Rory screeched, arms flailing. Lorelai fell back on her heels, blowing her hair out of her face. Crinoline and petticoats flared, and Lorelai hadn't even begun to try and get the sheer white tights on.

"Come on, baby," Lorelai pleaded. "I'll let you have some candy before dinner if you just let me get this on." The bribe seemed to do the trick, because the flailing ceased, although Rory wore a grimace the entire time her mother sorted through the layers of itchy fabric. Once dressed, Lorelai leaned away, trying to get the full outfit in view, attempting to hide the scowl on her face. How many of these horrible outfits had she worn herself? In true Emily fashion, she'd had the dress messengered over to the Inn a few days before, along with a note implying that she didn't trust Lorelai's judgment in choosing appropriate attire. Luckily, she hadn't sent along a wardrobe choice for Luke or Lorelai.

Rory's fine hair was a disheveled mess from all the effort expended in getting the stupid dress on, and so Lorelai went upstairs to get the detangling spray and a comb, leaving Rory happily enjoying a handful of M&Ms, praying that she didn't smear any of the candy coating on the white outfit.

She rounded the corner, mind focused on her mission, to stop short in the doorway. Luke was standing in front of the dresser, his back to her, completely naked and toweling off his hair. Her mouth went dry, and blood roared in her ears before taking a deep dive south. She'd known that he was muscular and fit, but seeing the hard planes of his back, tapering down to his ass, she felt like she was staring at a Playgirl centerfold. Quietly, she backed up into the hallway, and took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. Licking her lips, she called out, "Hey, Luke?"

"Just a minute," he called back. She waited, leaning her against the wall. "Come in," he said a few moments later, and she walked in hesitantly. He'd put on his boxers and was buttoning up his shirt, and she tried to act normally.

"I just need to brush Rory's hair," she said, pointing toward the bathroom. As she reached for the spray and comb, she noticed her hands shaking slightly. Supplies in hand, she made her escape. She decided to pretend it hadn't happened. She didn't want to embarrass him, after all.

Although, god almighty, he had nothing to be embarrassed about.

Luke was wearing a nice pair of dress slacks that he'd had handy, plus a collared shirt underneath a heavy wool sweater. Lorelai thought he had cleaned up nicely, but she knew that her parents would think he was sloppy. Lorelai herself had been pleasantly surprised when Miss Patty overheard her discussing her clothing situation and offered any of her dresses from her former life as a Broadway dancer. In the end, she'd chosen a dress that seemed to be from the 1960s, with a trim fitted bodice, tasteful sequins, and a slight fringe over the sleeves. The color changed from royal blue, to navy, to black depending on the light, and it fit like a glove. She prayed that it would at least pass muster, because she wasn't in the mood for any lectures tonight.

Dressing Rory had taken longer than she'd anticipated (who knew her easy-going kid would have the same rebellious streak when it came to horrible outfits?), and so she did her makeup quickly and pinned her hair up. Hopefully her mother wouldn't make a comment about her lack of jewelry, but she hadn't thought to grab any when she left her parents' house and funds for things like necklaces weren't a priority. She slipped her feet into the only pair of heels she had and clomped down the stairs.

"Ready!" she said, breathless, so harried from her quick preparation she'd forgotten to feel awkward around Luke.

"Great," he said, handing her coat to her. She looked up at him, and noticed his expression.

"Is something wrong?" She looked down. "Is my dress okay?"

"Uh, no, it's, uh," he stammered slightly. "It's beautiful," he said finally, giving her a small smile. "You look great."

She beamed. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "Now, let's go."

"They have a freaking valet?" Luke gaped, as they pulled into the large circular driveway to the Gilmore mansion.

"It's just for the party," Lorelai explained, but she felt somewhat embarrassed by the excess. These things had always seemed ostentatious to her, but now it made her feel almost sick, particularly after she had had a conversation with one of her coworkers at the Inn just a few days ago about making ends meet. Some of the people she worked with were literally concerned about their water being turned off, and here her parents were almost throwing money away.

Luke hesitantly handed over the keys to the car to the man behind the temporary podium. Lorelai held Rory in her arms, the skirt of her dress flouncing all over the place, making it difficult to see where the little girl's dress ended and her body began.

"Well, here goes nothing," she said, and pressed the doorbell. A woman she didn't recognize opened the door, and gazed at them expectantly.

"Uh, Mr. and Mrs. Danes," Lorelai said, stumbling slightly over her words. Luke reached over and squeezed her shoulder in support. The maid motioned them in, and took their coats. Luke reached over and moved Rory into his own arms, and they walked into the living room. Lorelai felt like she was about to faint from anxiety.

Emily saw them come in and she reached over and grabbed the arm of a tall man. "Richard, they're here," she said, and they walked over to the couple.

"Mom, Dad," Lorelai said nervously. "This is Lucas Danes, my husband."

"Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore," Luke said politely, reaching out his free hand to shake Richard's.

"Please, call me Richard," he said. Lorelai watched carefully for the reaction of her parents to her new husband, but both of them were very carefully keeping neutral expressions on their face. It made Lorelai's stomach plummet.

"Lovely to meet you," said Emily. She hesitated. "May I see Su– I mean, Rory?" she asked stiffly, looking as though she was worried that Luke would refuse to hand over the child after her almost faux-pas.

"Uh, yeah," Luke said, and he shifted Rory in his arms. "This is your grandma," he said softly to Rory, who looked at Emily curiously. "And this is another grandpa. They are your mommy's parents. Would you like to say hi?"

"Hi," Rory said solemnly. She screwed up her face slightly. "Gamma?" she asked, looking to Lorelai for affirmation.

"Yes, baby, that's your grandma. Would you like to sit with her for a minute? She would love to visit with you."

Rory looked wary, but she nodded, and reached out toward Emily. Emily smiled softly, working her arms around all of the material of her dress to get a firm hold on her. "Would you like an apple tart?" Emily asked her, and once again Rory looked over at her mother to make sure it was okay.

"Oh, you'll love apple tarts, sweets. Make sure you don't eat them all, okay? Save some for me." Rory giggled, and Emily and Rory left the room.

Richard cleared his throat. "I wanted to thank you for coming," Richard said, his tone cordial and polite. "It means a lot to your mother."

"Yeah," Lorelai said softly.

"Excuse me, I need to speak with a colleague of mine. I'm sure we'll talk more later," he said, then left them standing there.

"Wow," Luke said again. "That was the weirdest thing I've ever seen."

"Par for the course with the Gilmores," Lorelai sighed. "Let's get a drink."

Drinks in hand, they managed to find a small section of the room that wasn't full of party-goers. Looking around, Luke could tell that they were by far the youngest in attendance. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

"Shoot," Lorelai sighed, twisting her calf slightly.

"What?" Luke asked, looking her over with concern.

"There's a run in my hose," she said, running the pad of her index finger over it. "My mother is already in fine form, I don't want to throw any more fuel on her fire tonight." She handed Luke her drink and shouldered her bag carefully. "I think I might have some in my room upstairs. Keep an eye on Rory, make sure they don't upset her, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied, his eyes already locating the little girl in the crowded room as Lorelai left the room.

Walking into her bedroom was like stepping inside a time machine. Everything was exactly as she'd left it, with the minor exception of it being slightly more immaculate than it had after her mad rush to pack up her duffle bag.

She pawed through her dresser again, the fact that nothing was out of place neither surprising nor expected. With the way she had left, things could have gone either way; she could have been fully disowned or they could have maintained the room like the museum it was. At least, being the latter, she quickly located a pair of hose that probably cost more than six pairs of the type she was currently wearing.

She changed quickly in the adjoining bathroom, and balled up the ruined pair, planning to toss it in the garbage on her way back downstairs. But when she pulled open the door to go back into her bedroom, she was surprised to see Christopher on the other side of the door, waiting for her.

"Chris!" Lorelai gasped, holding the balled up hose against her heart. "What are you doing?"

"Came to see you," he said.

"Well, you saw me. I've gotta get back downstairs."

She tried to walk past him but he caught her hand and pulled her closer, maneuvering her towards the wall.

"I'm married, Chris," she said.

"Oh, is that what you think is happening between you and that guy?" Chris snorted.

"Yes, he's my husband," Lorelai said, irritated. "I have the rings and everything." She yanked her hand from his, and flashed the rings in his face.

"He may be your husband legally, but you aren't sleeping with him," Chris stated, looking smug.

Lorelai scoffed. "How would you know?" she spat. "You don't know anything about our relationship."

"I know that if I had you here, wearing this dress, I wouldn't be able to wait to get you home. Wouldn't be able to take my eyes off you for a second." Lorelai swallowed, then tried to get past him again, but he slid his knee between her legs, and planted his hands against the wall, one on either side of her head. "He's never seen you naked, I can tell," he murmured.

"Not every man is fixated on his dick," Lorelai shot back bitterly.

"Why did you do it?" he asked evenly. "Why did you marry _him_? I offered. I would have married you."

"Yeah, I think your exact words were like, 'huh, guess we should get married now'. Exactly the proposal every little girl dreams of." She hated how his proximity was turning her on. It had been a year and ten months since she'd been intimate with someone, and she could feel her body pulsating with desire. He smelled so good, wearing that same cologne he'd always worn, that smelled like man and musk and sex.

Not to mention she was still reeling from her encounter with a gloriously perfect male body earlier that day.

"So why him, then?" Chris pressed.

"He wanted to be a father," Lorelai said. "He wanted to be there for Rory, be someone I could lean on when things got hard. He's been a true partner."

Chris moved his knee only slightly, and she felt shivers go up her spine from the intimate touch. "You want me," he breathed, leaning forward so she could feel his breath on her face. "I know you, Lor. You're pretending you don't want it, but I know you do. You always do."

"Go fuck yourself," she whispered, but her heart wasn't in it, and he knew it.

"So what's his deal? If he's not getting you in bed, what's his game?" Chris taunted her, ignoring her words. "Did you offer him a hefty portion of your trust fund? Are you his beard? Does he wear dresses and high heels when he's alone?"

"No!" Lorelai said, and anger burst from her. How dare he make assumptions about the man who was quickly becoming her best friend? She pushed him back forcefully. "What Luke and I do or don't do in private doesn't concern you."

Holding up his hands, Chris took a few steps back in surrender. "It doesn't matter, anyway," he said, shrugging.

"What?" Lorelai asked, finally tossing the ruined pantyhose into the trash basket by the door.

"This is just a phase you're going through," he said airily. "Eventually you'll stop playing house with that putz and realize that you and me are meant for each other."

"In your dreams, Chris," she said, stalking out of her old bedroom.

"You'll see!" he called softly, just loud enough for her to hear as she rounded the hallway toward the staircase.

She sought out Luke immediately, who was holding Rory and looking somewhat lost. "I want to go home," she said urgently into his ear.

He looked perplexed. "What happened?" he asked, concern wrinkling his forehead.

"Christopher happened," she said, looking around to find her mother so they could excuse themselves quickly.

"What?" he gasped, and she could see his face reddening. "Did he try something? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Lorelai said, but her mind was turning in so many directions she couldn't be sure which way was up. Her only goal at that moment was to get out of that house and back to the safety of Stars Hollow.

"Lorelai," Luke said, and gently touched her arm. She looked up, and saw the concern mixed with fury that he was struggling to control.

"I'll tell you later," she said pointedly, and he nodded. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her mother walking towards the foyer. "Come on," she said, and Luke followed her, Rory still firmly entrenched in his arms.

"Lorelai. Luke," Emily said, as she noticed the couple walking up to her.

"We're going home," Lorelai said. "Thanks for inviting us. It was a beautiful party, Mom. One of your best, really."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," her mother said primly. The two women faced each other silently, neither knowing what else to say.

"So, I'll see you?" Lorelai said awkwardly.

"Maybe you could all come for Easter dinner?" Emily asked. Lorelai could tell that she was trying to portray herself as disinterested and detached, but there was a lingering hesitation behind the question.

"Uh, yeah, okay," Lorelai said, her eyes darting toward Luke. He shrugged. "I can give you the house number. Do you have some paper?"

"Here," Emily said, pulling out a notepad and a pen from a small table in the foyer. Lorelai scribbled some numbers on it.

"I put our number on there, plus the Inn and the hardware store. So you can reach us."

"Very well," Emily said. "Have a merry Christmas."

Once they were outside in the cold air, Luke turned to Lorelai expectantly. "So what happened?"

"Not in front of Rory," Lorelai pleaded, as the valet brought their car around.

"Okay," Luke said gruffly, and she knew that the second Rory was tucked into her crib, she would be interrogated.

* * *

Lorelai sat on her bed, arms around her legs and chin tucked between her knees as she waited for Luke to come out of the bathroom. She hated how Chris knew just how to get to her. She had struggled with the push and pull of her parents her whole life, and he had swept in, handsome and just emerging from the brambles of puberty, someone she'd known her whole life and yet, a stranger. She hadn't been a virgin when they'd started dating; Chris was hardly her first rodeo. But today was the first time he had intimated so clearly that he thought she was easy, and it cut her to the quick. His sharp words had also ignited a fear in her that Luke wasn't what he seemed. What was his agenda? Did he have one? Did he propose to her out of a sense of injustice, of wanting to help someone who was struggling, or was there another reason? And _who was Rachel_?

"Okay," he said, walking around to his bed, and yanking the covers out. "What happened? Did he touch you? Because I swear to god, if he hurt you, I—"

"No, he didn't," Lorelai said, interrupting his tirade. "He just… said some things." She turned, and watched as Luke slid under his blanket. "Chris just really knows exactly what to say to hurt me."

"So what did he say exactly?" asked Luke, laying back against the headboard.

"He just kept asking why I would marry you instead of him, and then he… he asked me if you had a secret agenda. Like, you were out for money or something?"

"Money?" he asked blankly. "I didn't even know your parents were rich until tonight."

"I know that," Lorelai said, "but he was just saying things, trying to upset me. And it worked."

"You gonna be okay?" he asked gently, and when Lorelai met his eyes, she only saw concern. She nodded, and he visibly relaxed. But there was another question that had been bugging her for weeks. Ever since the first time that Miss Patty had mentioned her, and before that, when Mrs. Kim seemed surprised that Luke had married her.

"Luke?" Lorelai asked, trying to steel herself.

"Yeah?"

"Who's Rachel?"

"Ahhh," he sighed, and he stared up at the ceiling. "Rachel. Well, she and I dated."

"What happened?" Lorelai asked softly, and she lay back on the bed, looking up at him. He still didn't look at her, and she could tell he was thinking hard.

"It didn't work out," he said, and shrugged.

"That's it?" Lorelai asked skeptically.

"Yeah, pretty much. She didn't want to stay in Stars Hollow and I did, and so she left and I stayed."

"Ah," Lorelai said softly. Something about that admission bugged her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

"Ready to get some sleep?" he asked, and she nodded. He flicked off the lamp, and she pulled the covers up over her head.


	8. Chasing Love Up Against The Sun

Lorelai tried to put everything that had happened the night of the Christmas party behind her, and focused on the upcoming festivities. She took Rory to every town holiday event, blasted holiday music, and made Luke crazy with the amount of sugar they consumed. She was determined to show Rory the best Christmas possible. She was mostly relieved that the one year old girl was still too young to really realize how non-traditional her family was. Not that anyone in Stars Hollow had made them feel like they didn't belong, in any way. There were a few prim older women who gave them a second glance, but likely they just wondered what she was doing with a baby, being just a girl herself. Overall, however, she'd been warmly welcomed, her association with the Danes family an immediate 'in' to the community.

On Christmas morning, she woke up before the crack of dawn and tip-toed downstairs to Rory's room. She checked in on the sleeping girl, and breathed out a sigh, taking a moment to soak in the wonder of the little girl that was a part of her. Without waking her, she went into the kitchen and brewed some coffee. For awhile, she simply sat in front of the Christmas tree, nursing her coffee, bathing in the glow of the lighted tree in the dark room.

Some time later, she heard the soft footfalls of Luke's steps down the stairs, and she looked up and smiled.

"You're up early," he observed, stopping next to her.

"I love Christmas morning," she said. "It's so peaceful. It's the one day a year that I don't want to miss a single minute, so I get up as early as possible."

Luke sat down beside her, drawing a leg up to rest his arm on his knee. "It's always peaceful in the mornings before you two wake up."

She swatted at him playfully. "I just love this," she said softly. "The pretty lights from the tree, snuggled up in my cozy pajamas, holding a warm cup of coffee. And then later, we'll open presents and eat delicious food, and everyone will be happy because it's Christmas. And this year, it won't just be for show."

"Hrm?" He raised an eyebrow.

"At the Gilmore house, everyone is always just putting on a mask, you know? I don't know if I ever really noticed anyone else being happy for real. My parents would always do these fake smiles and any neighbors that came by always seemed to do it out of obligation. And don't get me started on my Gran." She laughed humorlessly. "My Mom and my Dad's mother spend all the time that they're in the same 10 mile radius of each other being passive aggressively awful toward each other."

"Geez," he muttered.

Lorelai looked at him with a bright smile. "But here, I know we're going to have a great Christmas." Luke smiled back at her.

It had been a few weeks since 'the incident', as Lorelai had taken to referring to it in her head. She didn't know if it was her imagination or not, but Luke seemed to be making excuses to touch her, and be near her, their shoulders bumping or his hands resting lightly on her forearms. Even now, sitting on the floor in front of the tree, his knee was just barely brushing her leg. Taking another drink of her coffee, she decided to chalk it up to just being more aware of his body after her accidental peek. Other than how comfortable they'd become with each other's physical space, nothing had changed. They continued to live their lives in the same easy manner, laughing and joking and sharing parenting responsibilities. Eventually, her embarrassment would fade, and he'd never need to know.

Lorelai had anticipated a meager Christmas, one befitting her new income, but Bill had gone above and beyond. But his extravagance wasn't even in the same solar system as the Gilmores' would have been. Instead of designer outfits that were uncomfortable yet expensive, he'd purchased a soft fleece sweater for Lorelai, in her favorite shade of blue. He didn't buy Rory a pile of presents that were useless for a toddler, but instead picked several books and a pink plush Care Bear, exactly the same as her Halloween costume. Obviously, Bill and Mia were in cahoots, because Mia had somehow found some doll accessories, including a tiny stroller and a cradle, and Rory spent the morning 'reading' to her Cabbage Patch Doll and her Care Bear, then tucking them into the cradle.

For her part, Lorelai had been pleased to present Luke with some new cookware for their meager kitchen. Mia had helped her pick them out, and had insisted on giving her a slight advance on her paycheck in order to afford them. And he had surprised her with a small chain with a tiny heart pendant. When she opened the present, she looked up to meet his eyes, her mouth rounded in a surprised 'o'. He shrugged bashfully. "You mentioned you didn't have any jewelry anymore," he said gruffly.

"Right," she murmured, and lifted her hair so that he could join the tiny clasp together. She fingered the silver heart softly. "Guess you do listen when I babble," she joked, but her voice was soft.

"A few things about you stick," he replied. He shoved another package toward her. When she opened it, she began to laugh. It was chock full of brownies. "I added triple the cocoa powder," he said, jerking his chin toward the sweets. "Seemed like something you'd like."

They passed the rest of the morning quietly, enjoying the crackle of the fire and the company, until a hard knock sounded at the door in the late afternoon. Luke opened the door, ushering his father in from the cold. A few rapidly melting snowflakes dotted his silver hair.

"You guys ready?" Bill asked, brushing the damp flakes from his coat. Lorelai looked up from the magazine she was reading, and nodded. They were off to Buddy and Maisie's restaurant, which was closed for the holiday, but they were cooking up a feast and having some friends join them.

Rory napped on the way, and the car ride was silent, no one wanting to wake the toddler by talking too loudly. Lorelai gazed out the window of the Toyota, appreciating the beauty of the light dusting of snow and the frosty tree branches along the highway. She vaguely wondered what her parents were up to. Generally, the Gilmores had gone on vacation during the two weeks surrounding Christmas, sometimes to England to be berated by Gran, and other times to a more tropical locale. She never understood why they would want to leave Connecticut at Christmastime.

They pulled up in front of a squat brown building, spinning gravel beneath the wheels of the car as they pulled into the dirt parking lot. There was a covered porch stretching along the front of the building, and she could see a blinking sign advertising Coors in one of the windows. There were a few other cars, but otherwise the area looked quiet and deserted.

Luke quickly opened his door, stretching out his legs slightly before yanking at the handle of the other door, unbuckling and retrieving Rory from her confines. She'd awoken around the time they'd taken the exit for Sniffy's, and more than ready to be freed if the whines and squawks he'd heard were any indication. Lorelai shot him a grateful smile as she got out from the backseat.

"So this is Buddy and Maisie's place?" she said, giving the exterior an appraising look. Anyone else, his hackles would have raised, ready to defend Sniffy's to anyone who dared make a snide comment, but he could tell from the look on her face that there was no malice in her remark.

"This is it," he replied, and along with Bill, ambled up the few steps to the front door. Bill knocked loudly, and within a few moments, Maisie pulled open the door.

"There they are!" she cried, and pulled Bill in for a fierce hug. "Lucas," she said, looking him up and down. "Marriage suits you," she declared. She tickled Rory under the chin, and her sour mood instantly cleared. "Buddy! They're here!" she called, turning her head slightly. Pushing past Luke, she grabbed Lorelai by the forearms and clucked. "And Lorelai, you're a vision, as always. Come in, come in," she said, ushering them in.

Luke moved around the familiar restaurant with ease, checking back to see if Lorelai was following. She was checking out the mismatched and eclectic decor that he had watched Maisie and Buddy collect over the last few years since they'd opened Sniffy's. Another time, he would bring her here, just the two of them, and let her read the quirky story on the back of the menu, but for tonight, food was already laid out in an array of chafing dishes and platters, and a few people he knew were already gathered around, talking and laughing.

"Luke!" bellowed a familiar voice, and he turned to see Robert Goodwin, cheeks already flushed from his beer, matching his auburn hair.

"Hey," he replied, shifting Rory to his other hip, and extending his right arm for a handshake. Robert gripped his arm, pulling him slightly closer.

"I hear you done got yourself a wife," he said, his booming voice only slightly softened.

"Uh yeah," Luke replied, and he turned slightly, gesturing for Lorelai to come over. "Robert, this is Lorelai," he said.

"Hi!" she said brightly, extending her own hand. "How do you know Luke?"

Luke's gaze dropped slightly, and he tried to think quickly of the best way to answer the question, when Robert beat him to it. "Lucas was high school sweethearts with my daughter," he said, and lifted his beer bottle to his lips. "But she has the travel bug and has been traveling the world for the past 8 months." After taking a big swig, he swung his arm wide. "She send you any postcards?" he asked Luke.

"No," he said shortly, then cleared his throat. "I'm going to get Rory some food," he said to Lorelai, and she nodded, looking confused. He walked away, hoping that Robert would move on to his woodworking business or anything but Rachel. Or at least Rachel and _him_.

After they were all full of food and drink, and Rory was drooping slightly against his chest, they said their goodbyes. Lorelai didn't mention anything about Rachel's father, and he didn't volunteer anything, preferring to let that particular part of his life be closed for good.

* * *

Lorelai stood around Miss Patty's dance studio, clutching the paper cup of punch Patty had surreptitiously placed in her hands. "Just one," Patty had said, winking conspiratorially. She had taken a few sips of it, but the alcohol burned her throat. She had thought that coming to the Stars Hollow New Year's Eve party would be fun, particularly since she got out so infrequently, but for some reason it wasn't what she had expected. All the other partygoers were older or much younger, though the few children were fading as midnight drew near.

"Having fun, Lorelai?" asked Andrew, as he came up beside her.

"Yeah, it's really nice to get out and do town things," she replied, smiling and taking another tiny sip. She grimaced slightly.

Andrew raised an eyebrow. "Patty gave you some of the good stuff?" he asked, and Lorelai blushed. "I won't tell," he said, chuckling. "Did Rory like the books you got her?" he asked.

"Oh, she loved them," Lorelai replied, lighting up at the chance to talk about Rory. "She's already memorized them. I'm just sorry we couldn't buy them from you."

Andrew shrugged. "Tom sends me his business, I send him mine. It all shakes out in the end."

"I'm glad," Lorelai said. "We'll definitely be stopping in next week for story time," she added.

"I'm sure Ellen will be excited," he replied. "I'm going to get something else to drink. Are you good?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to go, actually," Lorelai said, swirling the pink liquid around in her cup. She could almost feel the booze burning a hole in her stomach lining, it was so strong.

"It's not even midnight yet," Andrew said, taking the half empty cup that Lorelai handed him.

She shrugged. "Think I'll just watch the ball drop from New York on TV."

"Not a lot of kids your age here," he said, catching on.

"Not really," Lorelai said. He nodded, and they said their goodbyes, wishing each other a happy New Year. She exchanged similar greetings with other townspeople as she passed, heading toward the door through the throng of half drunk partiers.

"Darling, are you leaving so soon?"

"Yeah, but thanks for inviting me, Patty," Lorelai said sincerely, allowing Patty to smack her cheek with a theatrical kiss.

"Of course, sweetie. You get home to that handsome man and beautiful baby. Give them plenty of smooches, okay?"

"I will. Goodnight. And happy new year," Lorelai said, stepping out into the chilly night.

She walked home through the quiet streets, seeing her breath puff out in front of her as she walked toward home. She saw the soft light of the television flickering through the front window, the house still decorated in the few Christmas decorations they'd cobbled together from neighborly donations and from rummaging around in Bill's shed. Luke had already turned off the string of multicolored lights they'd draped over the porch rail.

"You're back early," Luke said as she walked inside, shutting the door closed against the chill.

"Thought I'd come home and ring in the New Year with my best guy," she said. After hanging up her coat, scarf, and hat, she fell onto the couch beside him with a sigh.

Luke sniffed the air. "Aw, Patty gave you punch?" he groaned.

"Just one cup," Lorelai said defensively. "Besides, I barely drank it. That stuff is like motor oil."

"Agreed," Luke said. "Remind me to tell you about what happened last year when Taylor decided he could drink everyone under the table."

"Uh, no thanks," Lorelai replied. She turned her body toward Luke, and smiled at him mischievously.

"I'm not changing the channel," he said.

"Please, Luke? Please, please, please?" she begged. "I want to see how much Dick Clark hasn't aged."

"No," he replied, unmoved.

"Please?" she asked again, absently twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "I'll eat a salad tomorrow."

"How does that benefit me?" he asked, and he looked at her hair twirling with sudden interest. Slightly embarrassed by her nervous habit, she dropped her hand.

"Peace of mind?" she offered. He snorted, then handed over the remote. Lorelai bounced joyously on the couch, the prized remote now in her hands. She clicked over to Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, and settled into the couch cushions.

They normally didn't stay up this late, and she wondered a few times if Luke was going to throw in the towel and head to bed, but they watched together in comfortable silence as Tears For Fears and Barry Manilow graced the stages. The camera panned across to all the New Year's revelers across the country, and for once, Lorelai didn't wish she was there with them. And when midnight arrived in New York, they watched as the red apple-shaped ball dropped over Times Square, falling until its glow dimmed and the brightly lit 1986 appeared on the screen.

"Happy New Year, Luke," Lorelai said, turning to look at him. His eyes were already on her.

"Happy New Year," he said, and his voice was husky and low. Lorelai felt something stir inside of her, and her heart started beating faster. Her eyes fell to his mouth, parted slightly, suddenly completely fixated on those pink, full lips. Imperceptibly, he leaned closer, and her eyes fluttered shut. The cacophony in New York that was being played on the television faded away, and slowly, their lips met. The kiss was soft and exploratory. Luke pulled back a little, inhaling deeply, and their lips met again. She rested a hand on his chest, and she could feel his heart thundering beneath his soft shirt. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, angling his head to deepen the kiss. She parted her lips, and felt the warmth of his tongue caress hers.

They clung to each other, tongues dancing, Lorelai's hand fisted into his hair. She was starting to feel too warm, like she needed to strip off her clothes, and possibly his too, when she heard a cry coming from Rory's room. They broke apart, panting. Lorelai saw a wild look of desire reflected in Luke's blue eyes, and an understanding passed between them, that whatever that had just happened would have to wait until later. "Rory," she gasped, trying to catch her breath, still pressed up against him. He dropped his hands from the small of her back and pulled away.

"Go," he said gruffly, trying to adjust his pants discreetly. Lorelai nodded, and smoothed out her clothes, while standing. She stumbled a bit, her mind still addled from the kisses they had shared.

She smelled the vomit immediately when she walked in the room. "Oh baby," she cooed, picking up Rory. Her tiny body was warm, too warm, her face flushed and tears streaking down her chubby cheeks.

"We need the thermometer," she said as Luke came in the room, having sufficiently calmed himself. He pressed his palm gently against her forehead and gasped.

"Oh my god," he exclaimed, "she's burning up." He clumsily rooted through the basket on top of the dresser, hunting for the plastic thermometer. At that moment, Rory vomited again, spraying chunks of dinner all over Lorelai's shirt and hitting the wall. The toddler wailed again, her screams interspersed with gagging and spluttering noises.

Lorelai unzipped her pajamas, and Luke fit the thermometer underneath her arm. Rory squirmed helplessly, her body too weak from vomiting and fever to fight off the adults more successfully. When it beeped, Luke read the display and looked over at Lorelai, concern etched over his face.

"She's at 104.5," he said.

"What do we do?" she asked, starting to feel slightly hysterical.

"Emergency room?" he asked.

"Let's go," Lorelai said, rushing the wailing girl toward the front door.

She buckled Rory into her seat and slipped in beside her in the backseat of the Toyota. Luke tossed her jacket in the back with her and jogged over to the driver's seat. He didn't even bother to buckle himself in before tearing out of the driveway. She met his eyes in the rearview mirror, both silently agreeing that the kiss was on the back burner indefinitely.

They admitted her almost right away, the ER triage almost eerily devoid of patients so early in the morning on the first day of the new year. The intake nurse asked Lorelai a barrage of questions, regarding her vaccines, recent well-checks, home life, and all the food she'd been exposed to in the previous 24 hours. Then a team of lab technicians came in to draw blood samples from her baby girl, who cried and wailed and vomited some more.

After the specimens were collected, they set up a fluid bag for her and gave her a sedative, and Lorelai and Luke were left alone with her once again, Lorelai gently smoothing her fingertips over the soft brown hair plastered back against her face from sweat and tears.

"I'm going to the restroom," Luke said softly, placing a comforting hand on the small of her back. Lorelai nodded dumbly, and he left the room.

Turning around, Lorelai sat down in the chair next to her baby girl's now sleeping body. She seemed so pale and sick, laying there, the I.V. connected into her little arm. She stared at her for a long time before Luke eased himself into the chair beside her, and placed a warm steaming styrofoam cup in front of her. She smelled the coffee before she saw it, and looked over at him with a weak smile. "Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Any change?"

"No. They've got fluids going through her. The doctor thinks she should be able to be released in a few hours once her vitals are better and the tests results are in."

"Good," he replied. He squeezed her knee, and they both sat in silence, watching over the sick toddler in silence.

Lorelai was dozing against Luke's shoulder when the doctor came in again. "Mr and Mrs Danes?" he said, and Lorelai stirred, lurching forward to sit upright.

"Yes," Luke replied, giving the doctor his attention. Lorelai reached for him and he curled his fingers around her hand, which was now shaking.

"We ran some tests, looks like a pretty severe case of food poisoning. It says on her chart that she had milk today?"

"Yes," Lorelai answered, her voice still raspy from sleep.

"I would double check it, and everything else in your home for expiration dates or recalls."

Luke nodded in agreement, squeezing Lorelai's hand again. "I'll take care of it," he said firmly.

"I'll have a nurse come in and check on her and see if she's ready for release," he said. "Happy New Year," he added, before leaving the room. Lorelai slumped against Luke's side again.

"I feel numb," Lorelai said.

"She's fine," Luke assured her. Lorelai didn't reply, just looked over her sleeping daughter in silence.

Sure enough, with some fluids and rest, the doctor cleared them to leave around 3 in the morning. They moved her into her car seat, equipped with some dramamine and pedialyte to ride out any possible recurrence, although the doctor seemed confident that the worst had passed.

Once they returned home, Lorelai settled Rory into her crib, the toddler still sleeping soundly, not having stirred in the slightest once the sedative had been given. Her cheeks were still slightly pink but nowhere near as flushed as they had been. She looked down at her daughter for a moment, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest as she slept. After a few beats, she trudged upstairs to get her pajamas on. She opened the drawer and pulled out her fleece pants, until suddenly she couldn't hold it in anymore. She began to cry, heaving in giant, gulping sobs.

"Lorelai?" Luke said, walking into the bedroom. Lorelai was leaning up against the dresser with one hand, the other clutching her pants, her shoulders shaking hard with each gasp of breath she was able to take in. "Hey," he said softly, sweeping her up into his arms. She clutched him, sobbing violently.

"She could have died," Lorelai cried, her eyes shut tightly.

"No," Luke soothed her, cradling her face with his hands.

"Yes! What if she had died!"

"We did everything right," he said, "the doctor said so. He said we did the exact right thing."

"But what if we'd been too late? God, my mother would have been right. She knew I couldn't handle it. Oh my god, I'm going to kill her with my own stupidity. I'm the one that gave her the milk, it's all my fault."

"Shh, no," Luke said, wiping the tears away from her face with his thumbs. He held her face tenderly, and tipped it up to face him. "No, we didn't know, and she's fine. We did the right thing, she's healthy and happy and well-taken care of."

"Oh, I don't know…" Lorelai said, but her sobs were quieting to whimpers, and she looked up into his eyes, her own still shiny with unshed tears.

"I know," Luke said firmly. "You're an amazing mother. Rory is lucky to have you as a mom. I swear on my life."

"Luke," she whispered. They stood together in the bedroom, his hands holding her head gently, a few tears escaping down her cheeks into his palms. He leaned in and kissed her softly. Just a small peck on the lips. A frisson passed between them, and he leaned in and kissed her again. And again.

She stepped backward toward the bed, and suddenly the few kisses turned into intense and passionate groping. The room felt warm and suffocating, and when she whipped off her shirt and pressed his hands to her breasts, any restraint he'd been clinging to snapped. They tore at each other's clothing, lips continually reuniting, sighs and moans punctuating the sound of their movement toward the bed.

"Is this a good idea?" Lorelai gasped.

"Yes," Luke murmured, before shaking his head, as if attempting to regain his senses. "I mean, maybe. I'm not really thinking straight."

"Me neither," Lorelai replied, her hands spread across his now bare back, feeling the muscles underneath undulate with every movement. "You feel so good, so strong."

"I want this," he breathed, trailing kisses up her neck and behind her ear. She shivered from desire.

"Me, too," she whispered, pulling him down on top of her.

* * *

Hi all! *waves* Just as a warning, the rating is changing tomorrow. Yes, it means what you think it means. I don't recommend reading chapter 9 at work, or with parents/in laws looking over your shoulder. Gonna be spicy, guys and gals. Thanks for reading!


	9. Cause Tonight Is The Night

There was only a scrap of underwear preventing them from being pressed up against the length of each other, and Lorelai could feel Luke's throbbing erection against her thigh. She started pushing her panties down with one hand, and Luke reached up to help her. Once there was nothing left between them, Luke paused a moment, one last shred of reason preventing him from moving forward. Then Lorelai wrapped her legs around his hips and he reflexively bucked forward, entering her in one swift thrust, her walls so wet he was met with no resistance. They both groaned collectively at the contact, already out of breath.

"Oh, god," he groaned, and she fisted one hand into his hair, her body feeling like it was coming alive beneath him. He bent his head down, capturing her lips in a long open-mouthed kiss as he began to move above her, trying to clear his head enough to find some kind of rhythm rather than resort to erratic thrusts. She used the heels of her feet to press against his ass, pushing him in deeper still. He began to feel desperate, holding off only because Lorelai didn't seem to be climaxing, her eyes shut tight and arms gripping him tightly. He wanted to watch her come, to see her relax into a puddle beneath him.

"Did you finish?" he grunted, and Lorelai's eyes fluttered open. He angled his cock differently, trying to extract a different reaction from her, and she moaned, but he couldn't tell if she was close or not.

"It's fine," she said breathlessly. "I never orgasm during sex."

Luke stopped moving, his arousal slightly diminished at her assertion. "I don't accept that," he said, a sense of determination falling over him, and Lorelai gave him a confused look. He began to trace kisses along her neck, pressing more firmly as he got to the spot behind her ear, and when she shivered, he felt his confidence return.

He circled his hips a few times, watching her reactions carefully. She held onto him, moaning and sighing at the appropriate places, but it still wasn't eliciting the reaction he wanted from her. He pulled out and she made a squawking sound of disappointment. Normally, he would have spent some time exploring her body, kissing all the way down her breasts and her stomach, but his body was crying out for release and he planned to deny himself unless he could take her with him, so there was no time to waste.

He pressed his mouth to her hot center, breathing in the scent of her arousal before pushing his tongue past her folds, and she jumped in surprise. He smiled smugly before finding her pink bud, swirling around and then pressing his tongue flat against it.

"Oh, god," she gasped, and her hips shook uncontrollably. He steadied her with his hands, his own excitement increasing with every whimper he was able to elicit from her. He alternated between swirling around her clit and pressing his tongue against it firmly, her breathing hitching with each change. When he was sure she was sufficiently primed, he sucked her clit hard between his lips. She stifled a scream, bucking convulsively against his face. Swiftly, he moved up, covering her with his body, and buried himself in her, using one hand to keep pressure on her clit. He felt her squeeze his cock hard and watched her break apart beneath him, so aroused it was all he could do to not pound into her recklessly. He gritted his teeth as he emptied into her, feeling the release all the way down to the tips of his toes.

"Told you so," Luke finally was able to choke out, as Lorelai lay beneath him, completely still other than her chest still rising and falling rapidly as she attempted to slow her breathing.

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him. She looked a little dazed. "You sure showed me," she replied, her voice cracked and soft.

He pulled out, and collapsed on the bed beside her, both of them looking up toward the ceiling.

"So," Lorelai said hesitantly, the strength returning to her voice.

"So," Luke echoed. "Is that, uh… was that a one time thing?"

Lorelai turned her head to look up at him. "Do you want it to be a one time thing?"

"Do you?" he countered. She sighed, smiling a little.

"Well," she began, her eyes shifting back and forth between him and the ceiling. "We _are_ married," she said.

"We are," he said agreeably. He turned to his side, propping his head up on his elbow.

"So, it wouldn't be out of the question to assume that we would be, you know, taking advantage of that." Her fingers itched to pull the sheet up over her body, suddenly feeling shy as he looked at her, although his eyes didn't move past her chin.

"Right," was all he said.

"Because, I don't know about you, but I thought we were, um, pretty great together." She waited for his response, biting her lip apprehensively.

"I'll say," he said, and she smiled in relief. He leaned forward, and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"So, I guess, now, this is… this," Lorelai finished, resting her head into the crook of his arm. He pulled her body closer to his, splaying his palm over her stomach, and she let out a huge yawn. It was almost five in the morning, and they'd been up for almost 24 hours.

"Get some sleep," he murmured. He reached over and pulled the blanket of Lorelai's twin bed over them, although they were spread across both. He kissed her forehead softly and closed his eyes.

* * *

"Mama, mama, mamaaaaa," was the first thing that Lorelai heard as she drifted back into consciousness. She felt something heavy across her chest, and it took several long moments before she realized it was Luke's arm draped over her. She wiggled her body, suddenly feeling the length of him pressed up against her, a long expanse of hot, naked skin against her own. She slid out from under his arm, and began looking for her clothing that had been tossed all over the floor the night before.

"Lorelai?" she heard him say behind her, and she turned, holding her shirt in front of her like a shield.

"Morning," Lorelai replied, unable to meet his eyes.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, pushing the sheet aside and sitting up on the edge of the bed, unconcerned about his nakedness.

"Nothing, just looking for my clothes," she said, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"Hey," he said, and he reached for her hand, gently pulling her to stand in front of him, between his legs. "This doesn't have to be weird, okay?" he said, tipping her chin so that she was looking at him.

"I know, I'm sorry," Lorelai said bashfully. "This is just new for me. For us."

"Yeah, I know," he said. He jerked his head. "Come here," he said softly, pulling her down to sit on his lap and taking the shirt from her hands and setting it carefully on the bed. He cradled her face with his hands and kissed her softly. "See?" he said quietly. "Not weird."

"No," Lorelai agreed in a whisper, their mouths continued to dance together. She felt Luke getting hard underneath her bottom, and she ground her hips against him, making him moan into her mouth. They moved against each other slowly, and Lorelai pulled away when she heard Rory again over the crackling baby monitor.

"Mamaaaa," the disembodied baby voice cooed. "Rory eat now."

"I have to go," Lorelai said regretfully, but Luke didn't let go of her.

"Just another minute," Luke said, his mouth right at her ear. She shivered, lifting herself so Luke could position his cock as she fell on him. They moved together slowly, the urgency and lust from the night before dissipated and changed into something new. Lorelai's head fell back and Luke pressed his mouth to her breast, roughly sucking her nipple into his mouth, all the while pulling her against him as they rocked together. She felt like she was free falling, all of her senses consumed with him and what they were doing together. Her orgasm was unexpected, unfurling softly and stretching down all her nerve endings into a blissful coil that curled her toes. Luke mumbled something against the curve of her breast and she felt the hot release of him shooting deep inside of her. Several long moments passed as they stayed like that, coming back down to earth slowly.

"Mama Rory eat eat," crackled the voice again, and Lorelai pushed herself up to standing, her legs shaking a little.

"You okay?" Luke asked, steadying her with his hand on her hip.

"Yeah," Lorelai replied, smiling softly at him. "I think Rory's hungry though." She dressed quickly, grabbing the pajama pants that she hadn't managed to put on the night before, and Luke's flannel shirt.

He nodded, standing up next to her. "I'll make some breakfast then," he said. He glanced over at the alarm clock. "Or brunch," he amended, and started to put on his boxers and jeans from the night before as Lorelai left the room.

"Hey, baby," Lorelai cooed, walking into Rory's bedroom. Rory was standing up, holding the crib rail with her hands. She gave a big grin, showing off all her tiny white teeth.

"Mama!" Rory said, holding up her hands to be picked up.

"You're such a sweet, easy baby," Lorelai said, holding Rory in her arms, rubbing her fleece pajama covered back. "No one would have ever known you were in the hospital just a few hours ago."

"Hop… hoppit…" Rory tried, not quite able to maneuver her tongue around the word.

"Yes, but the doctors said you'd be good as new once you got some rest and fluids, so extra apple juice today."

"Apple juice!" Rory cried in delight, clapping her hands. Lorelai grinned. Rory made being a mother the best thing in the world. She could only hope that any future children would be as sweet and easy going. Lorelai laid Rory on the changing table, musing about that, when suddenly she stopped.

"Oh, shit," she gasped. Rory looked up at her mother, eyes wide, as if she'd understood. "Luke!" she called.

"Yeah?" she heard him say from the kitchen.

"Come in here, please," Lorelai said, her voice strangled.

"What's going on?" Luke asked, his brow furrowed in worry as he appeared in the doorway. "Is Rory okay?"

"Oh, she's great," Lorelai replied, her voice rising in pitch. "She might be getting another brother or sister in about nine months."

Luke blanched, then realization dawned over him. "Shit," he mumbled.

"That's what I said," Lorelai replied. She turned to Rory, unzipping her pajamas and changing her wet diaper.

"Well, it was only two times," Luke said, his voice shaking slightly.

"That's all it takes, buddy," Lorelai said darkly.

"Let's stay calm," he said. "I mean, at least we're married already." Lorelai shot him a glare, and he held up his hands. "Trying to stay positive."

"You're not the one who gets fat and pushes an 8 pound human out of her private parts," Lorelai grumbled.

"Well, how long until we know for sure?" he asked, stepping aside as Lorelai picked up Rory and carried her into the kitchen. He returned to the stove, and began pouring pancake batter into the skillet.

Lorelai tried to remember her last cycle as she placed Rory into her high chair. "I think my last period was before Christmas," she said, trying to remember. "I was glad not to be gushing blood during the holidays." She noticed Luke wince, and she looked at him pointedly. "Hey, if we're going to be doing what we just did, you are going to need to get much more familiar with my bodily fluids."

"Got it," he said, shaking his head, but a small smile quirked on his lips.

Lorelai sat down at the kitchen table, her hands covering her eyes. "The doctor I saw back before we got married gave me a prescription for the pill, so I can see if it's still good."

"Okay," Luke said, flipping the pancake expertly. "Coffee's done," he said, jerking his head toward the coffee pot.

"Thank god," she replied, getting up and pouring a generous cupful. "Ugh, this will be so embarrassing," Lorelai moaned, after adding cream and sugar to the coffee.

"What will?" Luke asked. He slid a plastic plate in front of Rory, with two tiny pancakes on it. When she didn't immediately dig into the food, Luke eyed her curiously. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Rory looked up, big blue eyes wide. "Want sauce," she said plainly.

"Sauce?" Luke replied blankly.

"Syrup," Lorelai supplied. "She wants syrup."

"How does she know what syrup is?" he asked archly, and Lorelai shrugged unapologetically. Grumbling, he opened the fridge and poured a quarter-sized amount on each pancake, and watched as Rory attacked the food with a fervor he still couldn't understand.

"It'll be embarrassing to go to the pharmacy and fill this prescription that's clearly months old. They'll be wondering why I waited so long."

"They aren't going to give it a second thought," Luke replied. "Besides, if they do, who cares? It's our business, not theirs."

"You're not the one filling the prescription," Lorelai groused.

"Do you want me to do it?" he asked.

"Would you?" Lorelai asked hopefully. He rolled his eyes, but nodded as he went back to the stove to make a second batch of pancakes.

Lorelai and Rory spent the day relaxing on the couch, watching cartoons and eating soft foods, hoping to keep Rory's stomach settled. Luke ran out to the pharmacy just before dinner, but called not long after saying that his father needed some help at the store and he would be back later. Unsurprisingly, Lorelai was tired by nine o'clock, and once she'd settled Rory into her crib for the night, she went upstairs to get ready for bed. She'd just put on her pajamas when she heard the door open downstairs, and then shortly after the soft thump of his feet coming upstairs.

"Here's your prescription," Luke said, dropping the paper bag onto the vanity counter while Lorelai brushed her teeth. "The pharmacist said it's a good idea to use _other_ methods for a month, so I got these." He dropped a giant box of condoms on top of the paper bag, and Lorelai almost swallowed the toothpaste in surprise.

"Wow, you got a big one," she said, after she spit into the sink. He smirked, and she giggled. "That sounded dirty, didn't it?"

"Yes it did," he replied, and moved to stand behind her, pressed up against her. She could already feel him getting hard, and it made her knees weaken.

"You already want to open the box?" she breathed, watching his hands in the mirror, circling slowly around her waist and winding their way up to her breasts. She leaned back into his touch, letting her head fall back against his chest.

"I want what you want," he whispered, and she pressed her ass into him, leaving no mystery as to what she was thinking.

"Bed?" Lorelai asked, closing her eyes against the feel of his body.

"Too far," he mumbled, capturing the skin of her neck between his teeth and gently nipping it.

They undulated against each other, and Lorelai occasionally opened her eyes to look at their reflections in the mirror. His strong arms were holding her tightly against his body, and the way she was completely surrendering to his advances was highly erotic. He moved his palms to the curve of her stomach and began to push down her pajama bottoms, making sure to caress every part of her as he moved them down off her hips. She felt him unbuckling his belt and the rustle and clatter as his jeans fell to the door, catching a glimpse of their pants mingled together in a heap at their feet.

He gently pushed her forward to lean over the counter in front of the sink, and she gripped the edges with her hands as he smoothed his palms reverently over the cheeks of her ass, squeezing and holding her in his hands. The anticipation was killing her, and she thrust her ass up into his hands, begging him to give her relief.

"Ready?" he grunted, and he pushed his hand between her thighs, parting her wet folds with his index finger. With his other hand, he opened the box, fumbling around inside for one of the square packages.

"Please," Lorelai panted, and the pleading tone of her voice surprised her in its urgency. He spread her cheeks, trailing her wetness all over her, before thrusting inside of her, slowly, from behind. She held on tightly to the counter as he pushed deeply, holding her hips steady. She let her head fall forward, all of her sensations being overtaken by the feeling of his hard cock inside of her. She let her hand fall to her clit, giving herself the push she needed to climax. Just before she broke apart, she looked up in the mirror and met Luke's eyes. His face was flushed, his eyes half-lidded with desire, and lips parted. "Oh god," she gasped, feeling herself burst, needing to put her hand back on the counter to hold up her weak knees.

"Lorelai," Luke breathed from behind her, pressing his lips on her shoulders. She felt him slip from her, pulling back slightly. She pushed herself upright on wobbly legs. She heard him throw away the used condom, and then he turned back to her, and pulled her into his arms. They stood in the bathroom a moment, holding each other, naked from the waist down, until Lorelai started to shiver.

"Bed?" he suggested, and she pulled up her pants, stumbling toward the bed. After he brushed his teeth and put his own pajamas on, he stepped into the bedroom. Lorelai cracked open an eye, and saw him standing there in front of the bed, hands on his hips.

"What?" she asked sleepily, feeling the effects of her orgasm tugging her into dreamland.

"I guess we don't really need separate beds anymore," he said.

"Maybe Rory can have one of the twin beds," Lorelai mumbled. "She tried to climb out of her crib the other day. I caught her before she fell out."

"You didn't tell me that!" Luke replied, and she smiled at the tinge of hysteria in his voice.

"Relax, Lassie," she said. "Come to bed, we'll figure it out tomorrow." He snorted, and then curled into Lorelai's twin bed, and wrapped the covers around them, holding her tightly against his body.

* * *

"We can't do this here," Lorelai said, although she tilted her neck in invitation as he kissed up to her earlobe.

"I know," he growled. "I don't know what's come over me," he admitted, as he pulled her even closer.

"I'm just so sexy," Lorelai purred, feeling his unmistakeable erection against her hip and as they groped each other in the darkened closet.

"Not going to deny that," he replied, capturing her lips in a searing kiss.

"I need to tell you to stop so I can go back to work," she murmured, weaving her fingers through his hair.

"So tell me," he said, kissing her again.

"Don't wanna," she mumbled through the kiss.

Luke had tried to stay away, but it was the first day they'd both gone back to work since their relationship had changed, and the pull was too strong. He'd brought a couple of sandwiches as a cover, but she'd quickly sussed out the real reason he'd come and dragged him into a closet, the sandwiches forgotten once their lips met.

As things grew more heated, suddenly there was a burst of light and they guiltily parted, Luke turning his body away from the open door.

"It's not what it looks like," Lorelai said quickly, trying to smooth her mussed hair.

"Looks like you are making out in the closet on your break," Mia said archly.

"Uh, okay, it's exactly what it looks like," Lorelai cringed.

"Lucas," Mia said.

"Mia," he replied weakly, still not turning around to face her.

"Don't you two have a perfectly good house to do this in?" she asked, looking at Lorelai with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Lorelai said, chagrined, her eyes falling to the floor.

"Come with me," Mia said to her, leaving no room for argument. "Lucas, you can see yourself out?"

"Yes, ma'am," he croaked.

As Mia ushered Lorelai into her office, she began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" asked Lorelai, a touch defensively.

"I just never thought I'd ever catch Lucas with a girl in the closet," she said, and suddenly she burst out laughing, nearly bent over from the force of her laughter.

Lorelai smiled despite her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, finding it hard not to when Mia was laughing so heartily.

"Oh my god," Mia gasped, unable to get her chortling under control. "Wait until Bill hears about this," she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

"You're not going to tell him?" Lorelai said, panicked.

Mia gave her an appraising look. "Is there a reason I shouldn't?" she asked.

"Uh, only because it's a little humiliating," she said. "This whole, uh, thing, is a little new for us."

All humor left Mia's face, and she looked pensive. "How new?"

"New Year's Eve," Lorelai said. As Mia's expression turned into a frown, Lorelai began to babble in earnest. "And I swear this won't be a pattern or anything, I mean, yeah, it's new but we won't ever be getting cozy in closets again, it was a spur of the moment thing and I'm not planning to blow off work–"

"Lorelai, relax," Mia said gently, and grasped her shoulders, maneuvering her into a chair just behind her. "I'm not mad about what I stumbled into. Although," she added, raising an eyebrow, "I don't want to see it again."

"Of course," Lorelai said, bobbing her head up and down.

"I'm more worried about _you_ ," she said, leaning back to sit on the edge of her desk. Lorelai looked up at her, tilting her head.

"Worried about me?" she asked.

"Honey, I know you're married with a baby, and you are extremely responsible and have grown up so much even in just the short time I've known you, but… you're still seventeen. I just want to make sure you're okay. The Lucas I know is incredibly sweet and respectful, but I know that sometimes people aren't always what they seem." She gave Lorelai a knowing look, and Lorelai blushed.

"I'm not really sure what you're getting at," Lorelai said hesitantly, "but it was a mutual decision to, um, you know."

"Ah," Mia said, an amused grin playing over her lips. "So do I need to have the talk with you? I mean, you do know that another Rory could result from your newfound closeness, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Lorelai replied, and she blushed a deep pink. "We, uh, got it covered."

"Good," Mia said, patting her knee. "I don't mean to embarrass you, honey," she said warmly. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

Lorelai nodded, feeling a warm glow deep inside her chest. This was so different from the conversation that had resulted when her parents caught her having sex in the pool house. "Thanks," she said softly.

* * *

A week after the new year began, Lorelai was relieved to see a telltale spot in her underwear as she undressed to get in the shower. She hadn't completely dismissed the idea of having more children–someday–but she definitely didn't want to become a mother of two yet. She was only seventeen, after all, and Rory was barely 18 months old.

She came downstairs to the smell of pancakes cooking on the stove, Luke in his familiar jeans and t-shirt in front of them, holding the spatula. "Morning," he said, looking her over. She blushed. Ever since they'd begun sleeping together, she noticed that his gaze had been less guarded. She marveled at the self-control that he must have had in order to suppress his desire for her however long it had been bubbling beneath the surface.

"Good morning," she replied, walking over to the coffee maker and pouring herself a cup. She sidled up to him and tilted her head up for a kiss. "I've got good news," she said.

"Hrm?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

"No siblings for Rory are on the way," she said, and she saw him visibly relax, his shoulders drooping slightly and he exhaled a breath of air.

"Well, that's a relief," he said, then wrinkled his forehead. "Not that, you know, if you were, we'd, uh–" he stammered, and Lorelai broke in to reassure him.

"Yeah, I get it," she said, and he nodded, turning back to the stove. "We are still pretty young. And Rory's still little too, she's not even potty-trained. One thing at a time, for sure," she said, sipping at her coffee.

"Yeah," he agreed, sliding two pancakes in front of her. "So, my dad's birthday is in a few days. I thought maybe I could make us dinner, get together for a low key thing."

Lorelai beamed as she poured syrup over her breakfast. "That's a great idea!" she said. "I can get a cake from Weston's, it'll be fantastic."

"I can make the cake," he said defensively.

"You're making all the food," Lorelai said, looking up at him. "You don't need to do everything." He sighed, and she knew she'd won. "So what are your plans today?" she asked, her mouth full of pancakes.

"I don't know," he said, taking the kettle off the stove and pouring hot water into a mug and a bowl, preparing his tea and instant oatmeal. "I was probably going to run by the store, see if Dad needed any help. Why do you ask?"

"Well, today is my day off, so I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping for a new bed." He looked up, and they shared a knowing smile. The night before, during a particular heated moment, Lorelai had tumbled off the bed and landed squarely on her ass.

"Okay," he said, smirking slightly.

"We can bring Rory, she can pick out sheets for her big girl bed."

"Is she old enough to actually care?" he asked, bringing his breakfast over to the table and sitting down.

Lorelai set down her fork and gave him her best 'are you kidding me?' look. "The girl that refused to eat the green popsicle and demanded red?" she asked pointedly.

"You're right, my mistake," he said dryly.

According to Rory, mattress shopping was the best thing ever. She squealed every time she ran up to a new mattress, scrambling on top of it and bouncing joyously. Lorelai expected the salespeople to be irritated with the excited child, but somehow, Rory managed to charm them all anyway.

Lorelai fell on one of the beds, intending only to elicit more giggles from Rory and eye rolls from Luke, but instead she moaned appreciatively. "Oh my god, Luke, I think this one is it." She spread herself out like a starfish, and Rory clambered up next to her. "What do you think, baby?" she asked, looking down at her, who was nestled in the crook of her arm. Rory nodded solemnly, as if she was being seriously consulted.

Luke hesitated. The price tag on the mattress was a little more than he'd wanted to spend. Lorelai followed his gaze to the marked price, and smiled.

"We'll find something else," she said, sitting up. "It's okay, this one is too much."

Luke rested his hands on his hips, thinking. Eventually, he shook his head slightly. "Nah, let's get it," he said, and Rory clapped her hands in excitement.

Lorelai slid off the mattress and touched his arm gently. "Are you sure? It's really no problem, I bet there are other great ones here."

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss. "We'll get this one," he said.

"Well, okay," she replied, feeling slightly giddy. She turned to Rory. "Who's ready to pick out sheets?" she asked, and Rory began bopping excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.


	10. I Lose Control, Can't Seem To Get Enough

The Danes family routine was tossed into upheaval after the two adults began coupling. From the outside, no one would have noticed a difference. But Lorelai's daily life had irrevocably changed.

Now, instead of slapping the alarm blearily, she was often awakened by the nudging of her aroused husband. Sometimes they'd shower together, teasing each other playfully, before going downstairs together. Meals were punctuated by hands on thighs, giggles, and innuendos that went way over Rory's head. Clearly, despite being quite perceptive for her scant months on earth, Rory hadn't noticed any changes taking place. She was still cuddled and adored by her mommy and Luke, and the ray of sunshine whenever they stopped into Williams Hardware or other places around town, so if she'd noticed there was a lot more kissing going on in the house, she hadn't paid it any mind.

Other than the supreme lack of judgment they'd displayed at the Inn, their physical relationship hadn't left the walls of their home. Lorelai didn't know if Luke was hesitant to be affectionate with her around his father for some specific reason, or if he simply preferred to keep that part of his life private, no matter who he was with. She was content to keep their private life private, however, and merely followed his lead. And when he would be ready to hold her hand in public, she'd be ready, too. PDA wasn't a requirement for her.

Saturday morning, on the day that they were having Bill's birthday dinner, Lorelai stirred, reaching back behind her for Luke, but her hand hit the cool mattress. Blinking, she sat up groggily, becoming aware of the sound of the shower. A feline smile curving her lips, she threw back the blankets and went inside the bathroom, seeing his silhouette through the shower curtain and feeling her blood heat.

"Want company?" she asked, and he jumped, before chuckling slightly. Stepping inside the tub, she pressed up against him, looping her arms around his neck.

"Always," he said, before kissing her deeply. They ground against each other, the hot spray of the shower mingling with the taste of their kisses. "We need to hold off," he murmured against her lips, although by then he'd already started grinding his thick erection against her hip.

"Why?" she said, licking up a rivulet of water from the side of his neck.

"Don't have a condom," he replied, groaning slightly.

She pulled back. His eyebrow raised when he saw the mischievous glint in her eyes. But before he could open his mouth to speak, Lorelai fell to her knees in front of him, taking him entirely into her mouth. She tried not to smile as she heard the crack of his head hitting the tile wall behind him, his hands immediately twining in her wet hair. Her hands circled around to grip his ass, each hand firmly squeezing one cheek, and pulled him back and forth to make him gently thrust into her mouth. He let out a groan that sounded nearly animalistic as she sucked him, letting her jaw relax to take him in deeply. She fluttered her tongue and hummed against him, spurred on by his moans of pleasure. When he climaxed, she stopped him from pulling away, cleanly swallowing everything, looking up at him through wet lashes. When she finally released him, she pressed a soft kiss to the tip of his penis before standing up. Luke shut off the water, which had begun to cool during their interlude.

"You're a goddess," he murmured, pulling her to him.

Once they managed to disentangle themselves, Lorelai sat at the kitchen table with her cup of coffee, watching Luke cook with avid interest. The muscles in his arms rippled as he kneaded the bread, twisting it into loaves, rolling out the dough. She bit her lip watching him expertly whip eggs into a froth. When he dipped his finger into the sauce on the stove and tasted it, she let out a whimper. Luke turned at the sound, and raised his eyebrow.

"You okay over there?" he asked dryly.

"You are so sexy when you cook," she said huskily, twisting a curl of hair around her fingers. He swallowed, then turned his back to her.

"I need to finish this prep before tonight and you're distracting me," he said, sounding slightly strangled.

"Okay, I'm sorry," she said, barely contrite. "I'll go fold laundry or something. Maybe sit on the dryer."

"Don't say that!" Luke groaned.

"Joke!" Lorelai giggled. "It was a joke!" She got up and disappeared into the laundry room, and Luke took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself. He needed to get himself in check before his dad showed up for dinner, otherwise he was going to embarrass himself.

He managed to finish the preparations without further distraction. A seven o'clock sharp, there was a sharp knock on the front door, and he heard Lorelai opening it and greeting his father, along with Rory's excited squeals filling the room. He was straining the gravy when Lorelai walked in.

"Hey, we got that beer your dad likes, right?" she asked, opening the fridge. "Ah, here it is," she continued, not waiting for him to answer. She held the bottle in her hand for a moment. "Should I pour it in a glass?" she asked him, wrinkling her forehead.

"Why would you?" Luke asked, looking over. "What's wrong with the bottle?"

"Years of conditioning," Lorelai replied, smirking. "Never mind, bottle is fine." She walked over to him, and peered into the saucepan. "That smells like heaven," she said, and reached to dip her finger into the gravy, but Luke slapped her hand away. "Uh!" she gasped, offended.

"You haven't washed your hands," he accused.

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Excuse me," she said, sticking out her tongue. He bent forward and sucked her tongue into his mouth suddenly, and she stumbled into him, almost dropping the bottle of beer. He pulled her in at the waist and everything around them slipped away as their tongues danced together. Suddenly, the sound of a throat clearing split the silence. Guiltily, they jumped apart, Lorelai clutching the bottle of beer with both hands, and Luke turning back toward his gravy.

"I was just grabbing you a beer," Lorelai said lamely, and she went over to the drawer to get the bottle opener. Her hands shook slightly as she popped the cover off, then handed the bottle to Bill, who was gazing at both of them measuredly.

"Okay, then," was all he said, and he went back into the living room, where Rory was excitedly showing Papa all of her new toys.

Once Bill left the room, Luke went back to the stove and Lorelai slumped into a chair.

"Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag," she said.

"Not exactly how I expected it to go," Luke said, tossing a glance in her direction.

"What, were you planning to have a sit down conversation about it?" she asked, sitting up straighter.

He paused with his hand on the saucepan handle, before picking it up and carrying it over to the counter. "I hadn't planned on anything, really," he said, "but being caught making out was not on my to-do list."

Lorelai giggled a little, then sobered as she remembered something she had not yet mentioned. "I think he already knew," she said sheepishly. He turned abruptly, and some of the gravy sloshed over the side of the pot.

"Shit," he muttered, reaching over to grab a towel to wipe up the mess. He set the whole thing down. "Why do you think that?" he asked.

"Mia may have mentioned something about telling him after our little closet adventure," she replied, wincing. "I should have told you, I'm sorry. I thought she was kidding." Lorelai paused. "Maybe she didn't, maybe he's just being Bill, you know. Not very big on the whole talking thing."

Luke cleared his throat. "Well, he knows now," he said, and went back to cooking.

"I'm going to go make sure Rory's not talking Papa's ear off too much," she said, rising to her feet. She walked over to him, and rested a hand on his arm.

"Okay," he said, and he bent over to give her a quick kiss. "Food will be ready in a minute."

The meal may have been a little awkward, but Luke was grateful that his father didn't bring up the elephant in the room. Instead, Lorelai regaled them with funny stories from the Inn, and Bill chipped in with a few stories of his own. The evening passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was time to get Rory ready for bed.

Luke and his father were alone in the living room, each nursing their own bottle of beer. They could hear Rory's excited chattering and running bathwater upstairs.

"I'm only going to say this one thing," Bill said finally, and Luke looked up, eyes widening.

"Please, don't—" Luke started, but Bill held up his hand and his son fell silent.

"I want you to be sure that you know what you're doing," Bill said firmly. "Lorelai is a lovely girl, but she is young, and naive, and I want to make sure you know that."

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

Bill set down his beer, and clasped his hands together. "I know you don't want to think about it, but I know why you started this thing with her," he began. Luke started to speak again, and Bill pressed on. "You think it's easier this way, there's less risk. But if you aren't careful, you are going to destroy her. She is putting her faith in you. That little girl is putting her faith in you. Don't squander it." He stood up. "I'm a little tired. Tell Lorelai I went home. It was a great night, thank you for the dinner."

"You don't have to go," Luke started, but he couldn't commit to protesting more than that. His father pulled him in for a brisk hug, then shrugged on his coat.

"Think about what I said," he said, then he stepped outside into the darkness. Luke stood there, holding the lukewarm beer in his hand, unable to move, listening to the sound of the truck starting up and crunching down the gravelly driveway, it's taillights barely visible through the window.

* * *

As Valentine's Day approached, Luke found himself in a bit of a quandary. Everywhere he went, nosy townspeople had been dropping anvil-sized hints about how he should be treating his wife on their first Valentine's Day together. With Rachel, it had been a non-issue. They'd both agreed that the holiday was sentimental schmuck, invented by greeting card companies and chocolate makers to throw otherwise rational people into a tizzy. Somehow, he didn't think Lorelai would feel the same.

"I need… advice," Luke said hesitantly to his father during a lull at the store. Bill looked up from his supply order, eyebrow raised, but waited in silence for his son to continue. He struggled a moment, trying to figure out how to phrase his dilemma. Eventually, he settled on a direct approach. "How do you know if a woman wants the cliche Valentine's Day treatment?" he finally asked, his cheeks turning a slight pink.

His father snorted. "Son, unless she comes out and tells you point blank she doesn't care, she does." He leveled his gaze at her. "And going off the way she positively glowed at Christmas time, I'd bet she's into heart-shaped boxes of candy." Luke nodded. He'd also guessed the same.

"So, what do I do, then?" he asked, looking somewhat helpless.

With a chuckle, Bill walked over and clapped his son on the back. "Amateur," he said, smiling. He pulled out the giant Yellow Pages by the phone, and tossed it on the counter. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he opened the book and pointed to a restaurant. "That one," he said, and walked away, leaving Luke feeling somewhat foolish.

He called the restaurant, making the reservation, almost sighing with relief when they had an available table. After he hung up the phone, he had a moment of panic. "Dad!" he yelled, nearly jogging into the back room.

"What now?" his father asked, amused. "Roses are common, but I think Lorelai might like something a little different."

"No, no," Luke said, waving his hand. He paused, processing his father's words. "Oh, okay," he said, nodding, then shook his head. "Not what I meant to ask. I was wondering about Rory."

"I don't recommend bringing her along," Bill said, his mouth quirked up in a grin. Luke rolled his eyes. His dad was having too much fun at his expense.

"I wanted to know if you would watch her," he said through gritted teeth.

"A night with my granddaughter?" he asked. "How could I say no?"

Luke nearly ran to the Inn, excitement and nervousness spurring him on. He shouldn't feel nervous, he chided himself. He was taking his wife out for Valentine's Day, for god's sake. It was _expected_ of him. He stopped at Weston's to get a cup of coffee, doctoring it himself with some of the spices from Fran's kitchen to make it his own special brew. It wouldn't be the same as what he made in their kitchen at home, but it would be close.

When he arrived at the Inn, he waved to Louise, who was on the phone at the front desk. When she noticed him, she mouthed "room ten", and he nodded, going up the stairs. Outside the guest room, he knocked once, before stepping through the open door. Lorelai poked her head out of the ensuite bathroom, and her face lit up when she spotted him, her smile growing even wider when she spotted his offering.

"You brought coffee for little ol' me?" she teased, fluttering her lashes. He handed it to her, and she took a giant gulp. Her eyes widened. "Did you go home and make special coffee for me?" She looked on the verge of tears. Or maybe tossing him on the bed. It was hard to be sure.

"It's actually from Weston's," he said, then admitted, "Fran let me into the kitchen to add some seasonings to it."

"Hrm," she said, taking another gulp. "Damn, you are a miracle worker with coffee. You should quit your day job."

"I, uh, wanted to ask you something," he said, and he heard the nervousness in his voice.

Lorelai straightened slightly. "Yes?"

"Well, Valentine's Day is coming up," he said, haltingly. "And I, well," he trailed off, his eyes falling to the floor.

"And you…" Lorelai prodded.

He looked up. Her eyes were bright, and she looked like she was trying very hard not to smile. Or laugh.

"I made us reservations at a nice restaurant. Dad's gonna take Rory. Maybe even overnight."

"Oh," she said, and she lowered the coffee cup so it was no longer inches from her face. "I, well, I'm…" For once, Lorelai was speechless.

"I can cancel them, if you don't want to, I just thought that since it was our first Valentine's Day–"

"No!" she cried, and she set the cup down on the nearby dresser quickly, then lunged at him, grasping him by the shoulders. "Don't cancel them, I'm just… really…" She giggled. "I'm surprised, is all."

"Good surprise?" he asked warily.

"Very good surprise." She kissed him, although they were careful not to get too carried away.

As Luke walked back to the hardware store, he couldn't have wiped the smile off of his face if he'd tried.

* * *

Lorelai was pushing her cart back into the supply room before her lunch break when Mia stepped out of her office.

"Ah, Lorelai, just who I was looking for," she said, walking over.

Lorelai blanched. "I swear, Luke just came by to bring me a cup of coffee, there was no funny business, I swear to god."

"Lucas was here?" she asked, a smile quirked on her lips. "Didn't even notice."

"Oh, uh, yeah. He came by a few hours ago."

Mia chuckled. "You two lovebirds," she teased, as Lorelai blushed a deep scarlet. "No, I have some news I wanted to share, and a question to ask. All good things," she added, noticing Lorelai's deer-in-the-headlights look.

Leaving her cart in the supply room, she grabbed her purse and followed Mia into the kitchen, where the staff ate at a small table off to the side. Once Lorelai had her lunch ready, Mia poured herself a cup of coffee and sat across from her.

"So, Nancy came into the office this morning to tender her resignation," she began, looking Lorelai over carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Lorelai swallowed roughly, eyes wide. "What? Why?"

"Well, her husband got transferred to Milwaukee, so they are moving at the end of the month."

"Oh, that's too bad," Lorelai said. "So what are you going to do?"

"Well, that leaves me with a vacancy in our head of housekeeping position."

"Mmm-hmm," Lorelai said, not catching on.

"I'd like to offer you the position," she said, and she sipped at her coffee while Lorelai spluttered.

"Me?" she asked, jaw dropped.

"Yes, you've been an excellent addition to our staff. You know the job backwards and forwards, and you don't even have that much seniority over the other maids." Lorelai stared at her, in disbelief. She clicked through the rest of the maids on staff in her mind, and had to grudgingly admit that was true. Mia hadn't been joking when she said at their first meeting that there was a lot of turnover in this job.

"So, Nancy has agreed to train you over the next several weeks, if you'll accept."

"I, uh, well, I–I'm speechless, obviously," Lorelai babbled, her tongue feeling tied for the second time that day. "This is seriously amazing."

"Your hours wouldn't change much. You'd have a few extra responsibilities, plus you would have to train all new employees, which, unfortunately, you'll be doing a lot of."

"I can handle it," Lorelai said with enthusiasm.

"And there is a minor pay increase, which I'm sure you don't mind."

"Oh. Yeah," Lorelai said, as if it was an afterthought. "Wow, this has been a crazy day," she remarked, almost to herself.

"Anything else happen?" Mia asked.

"When Luke came by," she said, and she couldn't help her grin, "he asked me on a date, for Valentine's Day."

"You two," Mia clucked, but she smiled too. "Going to make all the other couples around here look bad."

* * *

The meal was wonderful. The restaurant was fairly new, and had been getting a lot of great buzz. When he'd mentioned to Maisie in passing that he was taking Lorelai to On20, she'd nearly invited herself to come along. They talked and laughed, and Luke tried not to focus too much on how far up the slit in her skirt went.

"This dinner has been amazing," Lorelai said, taking the final bite of her chocolate cake. "Thank you," she said, smiling broadly.

He shrugged. "No big deal," he said. "We're also celebrating your promotion, so it's a well-deserved."

Lorelai looked out the window, overlooking the city of Hartford from their vantage point on the twentieth floor. "I wonder if we could see Stars Hollow from here," she mused, craning her neck to search through all the glittering city lights.

"Stars Hollow is that direction," Luke said, jerking his thumb toward the opposite direction, where there were no floor-to-ceiling windows, and Lorelai blushed.

"Ah, well, I guess I should probably finish the 11th grade," she joked, still looking embarrassed.

Luke paused, his water glass halfway to his lips. "You didn't graduate," he said, as if he hadn't realized it until now.

"No," she agreed. "I was still in school when I came here. I didn't think I was going to have time to go and take care of Rory."

"I bet we can get you set up with the local community college," he said. "For their GED course."

"Yeah?" Lorelai replied, looking interested.

"Yeah," he said, and shrugged. "I can handle Rory during the evenings." He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Who knows," he continued, meeting her eyes. "Maybe you could even go to college someday. Maybe not Harvard," he chuckled wryly, "but somewhere."

"Yeah," she said, nodding, her eyes lighting up. "Maybe I could."

* * *

Once they returned to Stars Hollow, they stepped inside the house and it was quiet without the sounds of toddler feet and squealing. Lorelai dropped her bag on the table in the foyer, and suddenly she was pressed up against the wall, her lips taken in a demanding kiss. "I want you in every room in this house," Luke murmured, grinding against her, feeling her body melt against his.

"Mmm," was all Lorelai could say in response, and then they were kissing furiously, Lorelai pushing off his suit jacket and Luke pulling up her tight skirt. He backed her up against the arm of the couch in the living room, catching her before she could fall backward. He spun her around so that her palms were holding her up, her ass in the air in front of him. He didn't even bother removing her underwear, he pushed it aside before plunging his tongue into her waiting heat, devouring her sex with urgent desire. She bucked and moaned against his face, spurring him on even more wildly.

She was about to climax when he pulled back. "Unh!" she cried out with frustration, but a shiver went up her back as she heard him unzip his pants. He gently spread her legs apart, and thrust himself into her gently, wanting to prolong her orgasm just a little longer. She felt the tails of his shirt tickling her lower back as he pushed all the way in, then slowly dragged his length out. She reached down to rub her clit, unable to wait any longer. The burst of pleasure made her rock back and forth, and she heard Luke moan deeply against her back.

He stopped, still panting, but pulled out. "Kitchen," he muttered, pulling her up into his arms, and kissing her deeply. He kicked off his pants and she pushed her skirt down, but before they could relocate, she grabbed him by the shirt and started undoing the buttons. Impatient, Luke yanked at it, and the last few buttons popped off, scattering like marbles across the floor. Lorelai yanked her own blouse off, pulling it over her head, before dashing into the kitchen, Luke hot on her heels.

She hopped up on the counter. "Here or the table?" she panted, already spreading her thighs for him.

"Table," he answered decisively, picking her up and laying her across it, sending the napkins and salt and pepper shakers flying. He pulled down her underwear, and flicked the front clasp of her bra, letting the cups fall to the table. He pressed his mouth to her nipple and sucked hard, and she tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him to her breasts. She wrapped her legs around his hips and he pushed inside roughly, their lust ratcheting them to frenetic levels of lovemaking. He pounded into her so deeply that the table skidded back several inches, all the while his tongue circling her nipples in turns.

Lorelai felt a second orgasm beginning, and was taken aback. All the times that they'd been together in the last 6 weeks, she'd never climaxed twice in one night, but almost without her consent, it exploded from her like a supernova, and she let out a howl that was otherworldly. Luke bellowed his own primal yell, and then he slumped over her, their bodies glistening with sweat, heaving from breathlessness.

"Oh my god," Lorelai whispered, and she felt Luke's head bobbing against her stomach.

"Next round," he said, swallowing hard, "will be on the stairs."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Thank you all for reading! This story has been a long time coming, and if you follow me on Tumblr, you've been hearing about it since October 2016. I hated making you all wait so long, but I hope the frequent updates have made it worth it. Unfortunately, this story is about to go on hiatus while I write the second half of it. I'm hoping for two weeks or less, since I do have a fair amount of it plotted and written already, but I want to plan it out well before I decide to continue posting. Find me on Tumblr (meags09) for updates and other Gilmore goodies!


	11. My Girl Wants To Party All The Time

** My submission for the Happy Birthday, Baby ficathon! **

This chapter can technically be a standalone for this story, but I'm including it here in the middle because this is where it falls chronologically. POVs are a little different. Think of it as a bit on an intermission while I finish writing the rest of the story. Updates are forthcoming, my muse and I had a falling out but I think we can patch things up. Thanks for reading! 3

* * *

Luke pulled the Toyota up to the red light, drumming his fingers against the wheel while they waited at the intersection. Lorelai's legs itched under the tulle of her skirt, and she smoothed it down, hoping the movement would be enough to soothe the discomfort. As she looked up again, her eyes caught a wooden sign lit by spotlights, and her head whipped around to look at Luke, who was still looking straight ahead, but now his lips were quirked in a small smile.

"Where are we going?" Lorelai asked suspiciously, as he pulled into the parking lot to their right. The parking lot of the Avon Old Farms Hotel, according the the sign.

"This is part two of your birthday present," he replied, pulling into a space.

"But I didn't pack anything for an overnight trip," she said, slightly panicked. Luke grinned at her, then reached behind the passenger seat, pulling out a small bag. She took the bag with a smile, but still looked inside worriedly. "You didn't pack me four bras and no pants, did you?"

"Please, a little faith," Luke replied, pretending to be affronted. "I've been living with you for 6 months. I know most of your routines by now."

"But what about Rory?"

"Rory is fine, I have her covered. She's staying with Mia tonight."

She set the bag down on her lap and leaned back against the headrest. "This is really sweet," she said, looking over at him. They smiled at each other goofily for a few beats, before Luke pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened the door.

Lorelai reached for her own door, but Luke held out a hand. "I'll get it," he said. Lorelai couldn't help bouncing in her seat a little. The grounds were dark other than a few dim lights around the exterior of the building, and Luke wrapped an arm around her waist as he walked with her over to the entrance.

She looked around the well lit foyer as Luke checked in at the front desk. It was cozy, with overstuffed couches and chairs in front of the fireplace, and wall sconces casting a yellow glow along the walls. It was a lot like the layout of the Independence, really, except where the Inn of her employ was dark and richly decorated, this one had a lightness to it that seemed more inviting. She could envision sunlight streaming through the windows, casting a cheeriness that, despite how much she loved the Independence, was more to her taste. If she owned her own inn, she thought maybe it would look more like this one.

Luke interrupted her thoughts by running a hand over her shoulder, dangling the room key in front of her. "Ready?" he asked, giving her an intense look that she knew all too well.

"Ready," she replied, slipping her hand into hers.

* * *

"Good night noises, everywhere," Mia said softly. She closed the book, setting it down on the bedside table. Rory was already fast asleep, her lips puckered into a bow as she breathed in and out deeply. Mia brushed a few wisps of brown hair off her forehead. It had been so long since she'd had a small child at home. Her son, John, had moved away the moment he'd turned 18, in search of green pastures and warm beaches. She'd cried a little the day that he'd announced he was going to be attending the University of California at Santa Barbara, although she'd been careful to mask her feelings in front of him.

Mia turned off the bedside lamp and quietly left the room, going down the hall toward the kitchen. She filled the kettle, setting it on the stove to heat, hugging her cardigan around herself. Being a single mom had been tough, and having to let go of her only child had been worse. It was why she'd eagerly agreed to help Lorelai, after all. John's father hadn't wanted to be around either, although for entirely different reasons than Rory's. The problem hadn't been John, it had been their marriage. Married too young, without thoughts to what would happen when they needed to settle into a grown up relationship. They had been too idealistic, with no foundation to weather the inevitable storms of life.

The kettle began to whistle, and Mia shut off the burner, pouring the hot water into a mug already prepared with a tea bag. She had been delighted to take part in Luke's plans for Lorelai's birthday. She was starting to see things change between them, and not only that they couldn't keep their eyes or hands off each other. They'd begun their relationship backwards, first friendship and now, something that was beginning to look a lot like love. Lord knew Luke needed some more of that in his life, as did Bill. Lorelai and Rory had been good for them, and she gave herself a pat on the back for introducing them. What a stroke of luck.

She stirred the tea with a spoon, congratulating herself for a job well done, when the phone rang. Quickly, she answered, hoping her speed would ensure that the jangling chime of the phone didn't wake up the sleeping girl. "Hello?" she said quietly.

"Mia?" came the panicked voice. It was Keith, the night manager. "Thank god, you need to come to the Inn. _Now_."

"Slow down," Mia said, setting her mug on the counter with a thunk. "What's going on?"

"Mr. Henderson fell down the stairs, and we're pretty sure he broke something. The ambulance is on its way but he's threatening to call the police and his lawyer."

"Oh dear," Mia replied. She pressed a hand to her forehead. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up with Keith and called Bill. "Pick up, pick up, pick up," she muttered.

"'Lo?" came the groggy voice. Bill sounded as if he'd been dead asleep, which was likely, considering the man woke up at quarter to 5 every morning.

"Bill? I need a huge favor."

* * *

"Mmrph," Lorelai moaned into the pillow. Luke pressed his thumb firmly into her shoulder, and she let her back arch forward into the mattress. Along with Luke's many other talents, he sure knew how to give an _excellent_ back massage. She was splayed beneath him on the king size four-poster bed, the white sheets crisp and fresh-smelling as he worked magic on her aching muscles.

He was straddling her carefully, trying not to put too much of his weight on her, while his hands worked the knots around her neck and shoulders. The promotion at work had been both good and bad. Good, that the hours were slightly more agreeable to her preferred awake/sleep cycle, and bad, that the increased responsibilities also included a fair amount of heavy lifting that she was surely not used to.

When they'd unlocked the door and walked inside the room, Lorelai had been tingling from anticipation, expecting that Luke would press her up against the wall and begin the fine dance of sexing her senseless, but instead, he'd turned on a lamp and extracted a bottle from his own small bag, a floral scented massage oil. Yet another part of her present, he'd said. This new romantic version of Luke had surprised her. He was continually coming up with these little gestures. The Valentine's Day meal, a random bouquet of fresh flowers, and now this: dinner, a hotel, and a massage.

"Feel okay?" he asked, letting his hands cup the back of her neck with a gentle but firm grip.

"Amazing," she muttered. She could feel him as he straddled her, and wondered how he could have so much self-control. Here she was, spread beneath him, completely naked, moaning and groaning as he touched her body all over, and he didn't so much as whimper. She was on the verge of whimpering herself, every time he pressed his erection against her backside. She would have marveled about how he was able to transform her into a quivering hussy, but then, she hadn't exactly played hard to get in the past several years. Self control in matters of lust just wasn't one of her strengths.

"God," she murmured, and pushed her ass upwards, hoping he would get the hint. He chuckled, sliding his body back to hover over her legs, and his hands cupped her cheeks, squeezing lightly.

"Massage over?" he asked, and she could hear the desire in his voice.

"Yes," she said, her own voice breathy, as she slowly flipped her body over. Her arms had been at her sides, and she raised then to encircle her head. He looked at her for a long moment, his eyes traveling up and down the length of her body, his heated gaze almost as good as his touch. After what seemed like entirely too long, he crawled up the bed so they were face to face, lifting himself up on raised arms to look down into her eyes.

"Happy birthday," he whispered, and she smiled.

"Thank you," she replied. "Now kiss me."

He bent forward, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. After a beat, his lips still hadn't touched hers, and she opened her eyes to see why. His face was just above hers, and he studied her with a slight smile. She huffed with impatience, and pushed upward to meet his lips to hers, throwing her arms around his neck to prevent him from escaping. With a muffled "oof!", they fell back onto the bed, tangled up in each other, tongues and lips fused with barely restrained passion.

She drew her leg up and eased her toes underneath the elastic of his boxers, pushing them down without letting go of him, their bodies already beginning to undulate against each other. In just a few short months, they'd perfected this ancient dance, their bodies aligning against each other perfectly, like they were made for each other. Boxers successfully removed, she kicked them off of her feet, opening her thighs so that he could shift to settle in between them. He pressed the tip of his cock toward her opening, groaning as he filled her. Taking a few deep breaths once he was fully enveloped by her, he leaned down to give her an open-mouthed kiss that left her arching her back, breathless, silently demanding more.

"Sorry," he muttered, and she felt the spasm of his release inside of her. "All of that touching you…" he said softly into her hair, and she let her hands twine into his hair, holding him close to her.

"It's okay," she said, nuzzling his head against hers. "We have all night."

Luke pushed back, slipping his hand in between their joined bodies, and pressed hard on her clit, just the way that he knew she liked. A few quick rotations of his thumb and she burst into her orgasm, shuddering slightly underneath of him, clenching around his softening cock as she rode the waves of her climax. He kissed around her collarbone as she returned to herself, clutching his shoulders lightly.

"Good?" he asked, lifting his lips away from her skin for a moment.

"Mmm," she murmured, giving him a relaxed smile.

"We should get you in the shower," he said, working his kisses up toward her neck. "Rinse all the oil off."

Lorelai wrapped her arms around his neck again. "In a minute," she said, enjoying the warmth of having his body on top of hers, with no pressing need to move.

* * *

Bill locked up the house and jogged over to the truck. His heart still pounded in his throat from the late night phone call. The last time he'd been called this late at night, it had been Liz, beside herself with a sick baby and no one else around. He'd driven to Brooklyn that night, fired up on truck stop coffee and adrenaline. At least this emergency was more of the business kind and not the heart-stopping sort.

Bill had to drive through Stars Hollow to get to the road that led toward Mia's, and was met with flashing red lights right in front of his store the moment that he pulled onto Main Street. There was a crowd of people gathered across the street in front of Miss Patty's, along with a group of men in uniform by the entrance to the store. "What the hell?" he muttered, and he jerked the truck to a stop, barely having time to turn off the engine before he opened the door and swung himself out. "What's going on?" he called out, and the uniformed men looked up.

"Bill, thank god," said Deputy Daley, stepping out onto the street to meet Bill halfway. "We got a call about some sort of break-in, only five minutes ago. We don't see any damage to indicate any forced entry."

"Dammit," he muttered. "Did you check around the back? That door has been a pain in my ass since the last freeze. Won't shut all the way."

"No, we'll go check it out now," he replied, then motioned to the other officer with him, one Bill didn't recognize. Deputy Daley looked back over to Bill, who was still standing in the street. "Are you coming?" he asked.

"I need to get to Mia Bass's house," he replied, "I'm supposed to watch my granddaughter while she deals with something at the Independence."

"Oh, Bill, honey," Miss Patty called out, sashaying over to him. "I can go watch Rory."

"You will? Thank you," Bill said, relieved. He wanted to make sure that he could survey the damage, the insurance claim already starting to crowd his thoughts as he inwardly groaned. Like the store needed _this_ setback.

"I'm on my way!" she said, and waved over at Taylor, who was standing beside a golf cart, holding court in front of a bunch of concerned looking townspeople. "I need to commandeer your chariot," she trilled, and Taylor rolled his eyes. Bill didn't stick around to watch them fight it out; he knew that Miss Patty would likely be speeding toward Mia's in moments. Instead, his mind zeroed in on figuring out what the hell was going on with his store, trudging behind the officers, bracing himself for the worst.

* * *

Once Lorelai stepped into the bathroom, her jaw dropped. "Uh, forget the shower," she called behind her. "I have a better idea." Luke came up behind her, looking over her shoulder at what had garnered her attention.

In the corner of the small bathroom was a tub, not giant by any standards, but it definitely dwarfed the one they had at home. Lorelai immediately began running the water, stopping the drain, and rummaged through the complimentary shampoo and conditioner bottles, hoping for some kind of bubble bath.

"I don't know," Luke said hesitantly.

Lorelai shot him a look. "You're too manly to take a bath?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," he began, trailing off.

"I'll let you touch me in naughty places," she said flirtatiously, cocking her hip out to the side. He snorted, but in her peripheral vision she saw his cock twitch in response.

Lorelai poured the contents of the tiny bottle of shampoo into the running water. She was pleased to see that it was almost as good as regular bubble bath in its frothiness. Luke's gaze was on her as she got everything ready, placing two towels on the raised tiles surrounding the tub and unwrapping the soap. She wiggled her ass a little extra, just for fun, and felt a shiver of delight when she heard his warm chuckle.

"Okay, get in," she said, stepping aside for him to walk past her.

"Me?" he replied, pointing at himself.

"Yes," she said patiently. "You get in and I'll sit between your legs."

"I like the sound of that," he said, and she swatted his backside playfully as he walked past her.

Luke slid into the warm water, bending his long legs slightly. He leaned back against the side, resting his arms along the tiled lip. Lorelai followed suit, carefully stepping between his legs. She sat down, her ass pressed up against his pelvis, and leaned back against his chest, listening to the rhythmic sound of his heart beating against her ear.

She sighed contentedly. "This has been a really great birthday," she said softly. Luke pressed a kiss to her temple. Grabbing a damp wash cloth, he began gently wiping off the excess oil from her arms and shoulders, while Lorelai nearly purred from the soft stroking. His left hand tangled in her hair while he continued washing the oil off, and her heart began to pound. She turned her head to meet his lips, and she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth gently. Their lips claimed each other, and soon, the wash cloth was abandoned and Luke's large hands began to caress every curve of her body. As he explored downward, she lifted her hips in anticipation, before gasping into his mouth when he reached her clit, still sensitive from her earlier orgasm.

He stroked her gently, teasing her a little, making her whimper slightly when he pulled his hand away. She turned around, feeling the lingering bubbles slide down her heated skin, before settling herself on his lap. He was already hard again, and they gyrated against each other for a few moments before he slid inside of her.

The sounds of water splashing and muffled groans echoed off the tiled walls as Lorelai rocked against him, picking up speed as she felt her climax building in her hips. Her head fell back, and Luke leaned forward, his mouth on her shoulder. He nipped gently, soothing it with his tongue. She ground herself against him, nearly blind with desire, her whole being suffused with the building orgasm. When she came, she felt it to her toes, the corners of her vision growing dim from the overwhelming sensation. She pulled at his hair, gasping, trying to pull herself back to reality. Luke let out a sound that sounded nearly like a growl, and they clung to each other as they rode out his release, his hands needing to help her continue movement over his spurting cock.

"Damn," she whispered, rubbing at his head where she'd yanked, trying to soothe the injury.

"You said it," he murmured back, fluttering kisses along her cheek.

* * *

As babysitting jobs went, sitting on Mia's couch and flipping through outdated magazines was about the perfect scenario, at least in Patty's mind. She remembered having to watch the kids of her parents' friends as a young woman, and always felt like the paltry pennies tossed her way were insufficient for the rare hell that was other people's children. Or any children, really. She'd never really considered her PCOS to be anything short of a curse, but in the sense that it nearly made reproduction nearly impossible without having much bearing on her sex life—well, that was a notch in the 'pro' column.

Although she had to admit, little Rory Danes was a delightful addition to Stars Hollow. She envisioned having her in dance class, cheerleading class, ballet class…the possibilities were endless! Maybe if she had some real talent, she could be the main attraction at her Annual Recital. Those big blue eyes were a star in the making. The audience would be eating out of her hands. She was so lost in thought over how she could transform Rory into her star pupil, she nearly didn't hear the knock at the door.

Gathering up the skirt of her dress, she sauntered over, and nearly groaned audibly when she saw the young man on the other side of the door. "Kirk!" she hissed, looking behind him, hoping his mother would be nearby so she could have some words with her. "What are you doing here?"

"Mr. Doose sent me," he said.

"I told him that I'd get the golf cart back to him first thing in the morning," she said, rolling her eyes. "Now if you'll excuse me–"

"It's not the golf cart," he said quickly. "Since the attempted robbery at William's Hardware, Mr. Doose wants all business owners to double check their places of business, to ensure that the thieves didn't get away with anything."

"It'll have to wait until morning," Patty replied brusquely, "I am babysitting Rory until Mia gets back. She had an emergency at the Inn."

"Oh, I know," Kirk said. "But Mr. Doose insists you come right away, while he still has the Sheriff in town."

"He called the Sheriff?" Patty asked, incredulous. "Oy vey," she muttered.

"He also said I should stay and attend to the infant," Kirk added. Patty looked up sharply. "I can do it," he said defensively, as Patty appraised him.

"Fine," Patty said. She pointed to the couch. "Sit here, don't move, I'll be back soon." She waited until Kirk sat down on the couch, folding his hands together in his lap, and she gave him a final glare. "Don't move a muscle," she said, and swept out the door, muttering about how much Taylor just needed a good lay and a Xanax, for heaven's sake.

* * *

After they dried off from the bath, Lorelai felt warm and loose, completely relaxed in a way that she hadn't known that she could be. Apparently a night away from the everyday stress of life was exactly what she'd needed. She slipped into the bed, loving the feel of the crisp sheets around her skin. Luke checked the alarm clock on the desk, setting the time for when they'd need to be up in the morning. Despite being Saturday, he still needed to make up some hours at the store and they both needed to pick up Rory before Mia went into the Inn around mid-morning.

After a final check to assure himself that he'd set the clock right, he slid underneath the sheets beside her. "This is nice," she said, curling her body around his.

"Mmm," he replied, his arms going around her waist, hands tangling up in her still damp hair.

"We don't get to sleep naked together all that often," she said.

"Hazards of having a kid that can walk in the house," he replied. He sounded just as at ease and relaxed as she did.

She yawned. "This is going really well," she said sleepily.

"Hrmm?" he asked. She looked up at him. His eyes were already closed, his face relaxed.

"You and me?" she said, questioningly. "Don't you think so?"

"I have very few complaints," he replied, his deep voice even deeper with drowsiness.

Lorelai scoffed. "What, your wife is too sexy?" she demanded, although her tone was devoid of any bite. She snuggled in closer, and he kissed her forehead gently.

"That's exactly it," he murmured, and they drifted to sleep, wrapped up in each other.

* * *

It was nearly 3 in the morning by the time Mia finally made it back home. Her head was throbbing and her vision was blurry from fatigue. All she wanted to do was fall into her bed and sleep away the morning. But when she turned the knob of her front door, she was surprised to find it locked. She took her keys out of her bag, turned the lock, and stepped inside. The house was quiet. _Too_ quiet.

She walked into the living room, looking around. She'd guessed Patty would have fallen asleep on the couch, but the room was empty. She looked around, seeing no sign of her, or Bill for that matter, anywhere. Finally, she peeked inside Rory's room, and her heart stopped. The room was empty. The covers pushed aside, and no Rory sleeping peacefully in sight. White hot fear raced in her veins, and she nearly tripped over herself getting to the phone in the kitchen.

She punched in the numbers three times before she got them right.

"Huh?" came the muffled groan.

"Bill?" she cried. Any trace of exhaustion was totally gone now.

"Whas goin' on?" he slurred. She heard a rustle over the line.

"Is Rory with you?" she demanded, wincing at the shrill sound of her panicked voice.

"Rory? What, no," he said, sounding more alert. "Isn't she with you?"

"I just got home and there's no one here!" she cried. "Bill, what the goddamned hell is going on?"

"Calm down," he said, although he was starting to sound worried, too. "Patty's supposed to be watching her, there was a break-in at the store."

"A break-in?" Mia said sharply. "Oh my god, what's gotten into this town tonight?" She shook her head. "Patty said you were held up at the store, I assumed she'd be staying!"

"I thought she _was_ going to stay," he replied. "I'm going over to her studio right now," he said.

"I'll meet you there," she replied, and hung up, grabbing her bag as she flew out the door.

* * *

She wasn't sure what time it was, but Lorelai slowly became aware of a hand moving up and down her naked leg, the hard thickness of an erection pressing into her backside.

"You're insatiable," she murmured sleepily, and she felt the shaking of his laughter against her body.

"Too sexy, remember?" he said, his soft words slight puffs against her ear, the sensation sending a feeling of warmth directly to her center.

He lifted her leg, bending it in toward her body, and pushed inside of her. She fell into the undulating rhythm of their bodies, riding the waves of pleasure through her sleepy fog. She lost track of time as they moved against each other, his lips moving from her ear to her shoulders, and back again. If this was a dream, she hoped she would never wake up from it.

* * *

Taylor Doose was used to children, but that didn't mean he liked them. Generally, they were nothing more than savage reprobates. He blamed the parents. He took it as a personal responsibility to take any opportunity to instill some sort of moral code, ethics, and a sense of hard work and responsibility into the next generation.

Which is why, at 6am in the morning on Saturday April 26, 1986, Rory Danes was inside the market, stacking cans of soup on a shelf. He had to grudgingly admit that the little girl was incredibly bright. He'd employed teenagers who hadn't ever grasped the basic rules of proper can stacking this well. He supervised her for a few moments before walking away. Kirk had promised that he'd be back soon to pick up the little girl, but he was half considering putting him off a little longer. Let the lesson stick a bit.

He was about to begin counting the float in the till, one last time just to be sure, when there was a violent sound that could only be called thrashing at the door to the market. He looked up. "We're closed, we open in an hour!" he called, seeing Bill Danes through the glass.

"Open the damn door, Taylor!" he shouted. Taylor rolled his eyes, but walked over, flipping the lock.

"You don't need to be so crude, William," he said archly. "There are children in here."

"Children?" Bill pushed past Taylor, looking around frantically. He nearly sagged with relief when he saw Rory. "Oh my god, Rory, thank god," he babbled, making his way down the aisle past the opened boxes of products. He scooped her up and hugged her tightly. "Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked, cupping her cheek with his hand.

She looked at him, a little confused by his reaction. "Papa?" she said. She pointed down toward the cans she'd been stacking. "Soup!"

"Taylor's been putting you to work, I see," he replied, turning to face Taylor, who shrugged.

"Someone has to teach her how to be a contributing member of society," he replied.

"There are child labor laws in place to prevent this very thing," Bill shot back.

"As far as she was concerned, it was fun," he said. "She's obviously not afraid of a little hard work!"

"Is that a dig?" Bill replied, eyes narrowed.

"No, not at all," Taylor said, shrinking back a little.

"I'm taking her home now," he said, and marched out the door of the market, slamming it much harder than necessary.

Taylor straightened his shoulders slightly. He wouldn't let a little scolding stop him from trying to improve Stars Hollow, that was for darn sure. With a sigh, he went back toward the soup cans, admiring the work little Rory had done. Maybe she had a future in produce restocking. One could dream.

* * *

Luke was already up and dressed by the time that Lorelai stirred in the big bed. He was busily packing up the few things they'd brought, and he left out the clothes that he'd packed for Lorelai, hoping they were fine. He'd been conservative, picking out jeans and a t-shirt, two things he'd seen her wear together before. He couldn't even begin to understand the intricacies that went into her outfit selection process.

"Good morning," he said, looking up from his packing.

"Morning," she replied, stretching her arms languidly over her head. The sheet slipped down a little, giving him a tantalizing look at her breasts. His gaze lingered a moment, but unfortunately they didn't have time to go again. He should have felt nothing but satisfied after a night of hot sex, but the woman was irresistible. He cleared his throat.

"Did you want to take a shower before we go?" he asked, averting his eyes.

"Yeah," she said lazily. "Do we have coffee?"

"I'll start it while you're in the shower," he replied. She nodded, stretching again before throwing back the covers, padding back toward the bathroom. She paused to give him a quick kiss, and he patted her rear as she headed for her shower.

He began making coffee in the small en suite coffee maker, wishing he had his spices. While waiting for the water to heat inside the drip machine, he reflected slightly to himself about this so-called secret recipe. Strangely, the act of fixing coffee this way had ceased to remind him so much of his mother, replacing those memories with new ones of Lorelai. It was bittersweet; the memories of his mother were painful, but they were hard to let go of, all the same. His relationship with Lorelai could never replace the bond a son has with his mother, but it was nice to have someone he could talk to.

Talking to Lorelai was so easy. She didn't push him to talk about things that were unpleasant, but sometimes they came out anyway. She always seemed satisfied with the tidbits he let slip, never requiring more than he was ready for. Their marriage had turned out better than he'd hoped. If he was going to be married to someone, he'd rather be a best friend than someone he was head-over-heels with. He'd tried true love. It was overrated.

Not to mention, he'd seen what his dad had gone through. The first few years after his mother had died, it was a miracle that he and Liz had managed to be fed and clothed. If it hadn't been for the rest of the town, he didn't even know where they'd be. Better to avoid the whole business. Losing friends is hard, but losing the love of your life? Unbearable.

Luke was so lost in his own thoughts, he didn't hear Lorelai come up behind him. He startled when she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Smells so good," she murmured.

"Me, or the coffee?" he replied, covering her arms with his own.

"It's a toss up," she said cheekily.

He waited for the coffee to finish dripping into the tiny pot, then he poured it into the supplied paper cup. Fastening the lid on top, he handed it to her. She was wrapped in a towel, her hair combed out. He could smell some of her hair product, likely she was letting it air dry to save them time.

"You're so good at that," she said, taking an appreciative sip.

"What? Handing you a cup of coffee?" he asked.

"No, the whole pouring, putting the lid on, everything," she said, waving her free hand in a circular motion. "You look good doing it."

"Well, maybe I'll set up a stand at the end of our driveway," he joked, and she beamed at him.

"You'd be beating the ladies off with a stick," she pronounced.

"God help me," he groaned. He gestured toward the clothing he'd laid out for her. "Did I pass the test?"

She meandered over, her towel slipping. He eyed her appreciatively before focusing on what she was saying. "Not too bad," she said, and she looked at him over her shoulder. God, she needed to put clothes on before he threw their timetable out the window.

"Good," he said. He went back to packing, anything to keep him from watching her as she dropped the towel to the floor. Sometimes he wondered if she did that on purpose to torture him, parade around their room naked or wearing next to nothing, hoping he would toss her on the bed and take her. There'd been precedent.

Once they were packed and Lorelai was dressed, he surveyed the room one last time. Lorelai ran her hand up and down one of the posts. "This was really great," she said, looking over at him with a slight smile.

"You mentioned that already," he said.

"I just," she hesitated, and he opened the door, letting her leave before him.

"You just?" he prodded, as they began walking towards the large staircase that led to the lobby below.

"I'm just really glad we met," she said. They shared a smile, and he held out his hand. She slipped her palm against his, refreshed and ready to return to Stars Hollow.

* * *

Bill looked around his cluttered kitchen counter for that damn piece of paper. He knew that Lucas had left him a note with the hotel name and phone number on it, because unlike _him_ , his son was a responsible adult. He wanted to kick his own ass for trusting Patty to watch Rory. He finally spotted it, and nearly lunged for the receiver hanging on the wall. He hoped he wasn't too late.

"Avon Old Farms Hotel, Cynthia speaking," came the smooth voice over the line.

"Hi, I'm looking for Lucas, uh, Luke Danes. He stayed the night last night with his wife and I need to speak with him."

"Just a moment, sir." He waited, tapping his feet on the scuffed linoleum. The wait seemed to last forever.

"Dad?" he heard the familiar voice burst over the line. "Is everything okay? Where's Rory?"

What a relief. "Rory's here," he said calmly. "Mia and Rory are here."

"Rory's there?" Luke repeated, and he heard Lorelai's voice in the background, although he couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Yeah, she's here and everything's fine. She's eating cereal and watching cartoons."

"Oh, okay then." Luke sounded confused, but his father didn't offer any additional information. "I… guess we'll see you in about an hour then?"

"We'll be here," Bill replied, and then they hung up. He rubbed his face with his hands tiredly. He'd barely slept at all the night before. By the time the police officers had cleared the store, it had been way past midnight. Half the town was still crowded in the streets. Taylor had been in rare form, demanding the officers investigate every single business for two blocks surrounding the store, just in case the supposed "perp" was hiding out nearby. He hadn't been able to tell if anything had been stolen, but of course, he'd have to do another round of inventory to be sure. At the very least, the safe and the register remained unscathed.

He'd staggered back home, leaving the truck parked across from the store, not even trusting himself to drive it the short distance. Evidently, the Sheriff had tried to get out of looking at all of the businesses individually by telling Taylor they couldn't march in without the owner present (or a warrant), so he'd sent the Gleason boy out to do his dirty work. Patty hadn't anticipated being held hostage in her own dance studio for hours on end, and apparently neither had Kirk, because he'd taken Rory to his house somewhere in the vicinity of 2am to give his mother her medicine, a subject he refused to think too much about. By the time he and Mia had begun scouring the town looking for Rory, Kirk had needed to pass off the baby, who was by then awake and hungry, and Kirk being, well, _Kirk_ , he brought her to the market. Because that's where the food was, obviously.

Bill walked over to the living room, where Mia and Rory sat together, Rory eating Cheerios one-by-one out of her plastic Rainbow Brite bowl. He heard a snort, and laughed a little when he realized that Mia was sound asleep. He heaved an exhausted sigh, and decided something right then and there.

What Luke and Lorelai didn't know wouldn't hurt them.


	12. I Have Spoke With The Tongues of Angels

SEPTEMBER 26, 1987

Rory bounced excitedly against the confines of her booster seat, one hand pressed to the window. "Are we there yet?" she squeaked, almost unable to get the words out.

"Almost," Lorelai said, unable to stop her own smile. Today was a rite of passage for her daughter; her very first time going to the movie theater. She was taking Rory to a matinee of _The Princess Bride_ , which promised to be exactly the right movie for their first mother-daughter movie-going venture. She anticipated something toward the cheesy side, and cheese was the ticket to a true Lorelai-approved experience. Plus red vines and popcorn, obviously.

Once they arrived at the cinema, Rory practically dragged her mother from concessions to ticket booth, pigtails bouncing. Lorelai nearly had to jog to keep up. When they entered the darkened room with the massive screen, the little girl let out an audible gasp. When she turned back to look at her mother, her little mouth was in a perfect O shape. "Pretty great, isn't it?" Lorelai remarked, and led them to their seats.

Lorelai barely watched the movie, which was too bad, because she probably would have loved it. Instead, she couldn't take her eyes off of Rory, living vicariously through her, watching her ride the emotional journey of the movie, stuff her cheeks with popcorn, and simply absorb the experience through those wide blue eyes.

When the credits rolled, Rory turned to her mother and sighed happily. "When can we see another movie?" she asked, looking hopeful.

"Not today," Lorelai said with a wry grin. Finally, she had someone else to share her love of movies with. She envisioned many return trips in her future, arms laden with snacks. Once Rory was burst from the spell of novelty, they'd be trading barbs and jokes like best friends. God, she'd missed this.

As they walked back to the parking lot, Rory was babbling a mile a minute, Lorelai half listening, mostly trying to spot their red Toyota in the sea of cars. "Do you think Luke would come with us next time?" she asked suddenly, and Lorelai paused with the key, about to insert it into the lock.

"Uhhh," she said, hesitating. She opened the door and helped Rory get situated into her seat. "I don't know," she finally said, shrugging one shoulder. "We can ask him." This answer placated her, and she moved back to her previous topic of conversation for the entire drive back to Stars Hollow.

The Lorelais had settled into quite the little life in Stars Hollow over the past few years. Rory continued to attend the nursery school at the church, and Mrs. Kim had stopped eyeing the young mother so warily every time they encountered each other. She'd begun participating in town events, much to Bill and Luke's chagrin, and practicing her burgeoning sewing skills for pageants and festivals. Every now and then, they needed to dress up and visit Lorelai's parents. Despite their cold politeness to Luke, Gilmore shorthand for ardent disapproval, the tenuous olive branch was there.

But something niggled in the back of her mind as they took the highway back home. Rory's innocent suggestion about inviting Luke to come to the movies with them was merely that: innocent. It took her a moment before she realized what it was exactly that bothered her about the comment. In general, Rory and Lorelai did their own thing. They were the dynamic duo, constantly cooking up activities or shenanigans to get into, turning Stars Hollow into their own personal playground. It had turned into quite the girls' club, with Luke making modest but short appearances. He didn't seem to mind. Williams Hardware kept him plenty busy, and when he wasn't at the store, he was taking short fishing trips or building something in his dad's shed. The occasional weekend would find the Danes men in Mrs. Thompson's garage, cursing and drinking beer, while working on a dinghy that hoped to someday grow up into a real boat.

Their family time was in the evenings, when they would sit down together for dinner, regaling each other with stories of their day. Even Rory was old enough now to participate, describing in crisp detail exactly what books her teacher had read to them, and sharing the exploits she'd had in the playground with her best friend, Lane Kim, who was indeed Mrs. Kim's niece, the daughter of the other equally intimidating Mrs. Kim.

And then, the nights…well, their ardor had tempered, but only slightly. Luke never ceased to amaze her with the depths of his passion. For someone who was at best reticent to talk and at worst, completely mute, he certainly knew how to use his mouth.

Not that there'd been much of _that_ lately.

Rory's constant stream of chatter had somewhat abated by the time they pulled into their driveway. Lorelai wasn't surprised to find the house empty. Rory settled herself at the kitchen table with a coloring book and crayons while Lorelai scrubbed at the breakfast dishes. When dinnertime approached with no sign of Luke, she sighed and called for pizza. She went through their evening routine: bath, books, and then tucking Rory into bed.

She severely disliked the evenings that Luke was at the store late. The house was too quiet, almost creepy. There wasn't anything interesting on television on Saturdays until 9pm, when she'd sometimes watch Golden Girls. So she sat at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee and flipping absently through an issue of Cosmo, waiting for Luke to walk in the door.

At nearly 8pm, Luke finally stumbled wearily into the kitchen. He scratched at the back of his neck, then looked up, forehead crinkling. "Why are you drinking coffee this late?" he asked.

Lorelai shrugged. "It doesn't really keep me awake," she admitted. "I think I'm too used to it now."

He nodded, but she could tell he'd already retreated from the conversation, back into where his thoughts had been going lately.

"How's your dad?" she asked softly. Bill had been fighting a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia, and had nearly been hospitalized. Luke tried not to let on, but she could tell that he was concerned. He'd also been working constantly, trying to run the hardware store all by himself.

Lorelai didn't want to admit it any more than either of the men did, but the store was going through some very rough times. They'd had to let their only other employee go as sales dwindled. Taylor Doose had been able to strike the fear of god in a few people at town meetings, but still, there was only so much he could do. Bill couldn't compete with the prices for his wares with the likes of Home Depot. The one time she'd tried to slightly suggest they make some changes, Luke had shut her down completely. The store was fine, he'd said. But the weary look on his face was anything but fine.

"He's getting better," Luke replied gruffly, opening the fridge. He raised an eyebrow at the remains of the delivery pizza inside, but didn't say anything. "Man is stubborn as hell," he continued, moving items around. "He keeps attempting to come back to work, but one good wheeze and I send him home." Arms laden with sandwich making ingredients, he moved to the counter. "I told him if tries it again, I'm taking his truck hostage."

Lorelai giggled slightly, imagining the showdown between father and son. "How was your day?" she asked, pushing the magazine away.

He shrugged. "Fine. Busy." He looked over at her, and smiled wanly when he met her eyes. "How about you? Have a good day?"

"Yeah," Lorelai said, lighting up slightly. "Rory and I went to the movies. We saw T _he Princess Bride_."

"Yeah?" he said absently.

"Uh, Rory suggested maybe you could come with us," Lorelai continued hesitantly. "Next time we go to the movies."

"Hmm," he said. He brought his sandwich to the table and sat down. Lorelai waited, expecting more of a response than that.

"What do you think?" she prompted.

"About what?" He looked up, looking completely confused.

"About coming with us to the movies?"

"Oh." His eyes darted away briefly, and then down to his sandwich. He took another bite and chewed slowly, while Lorelai stared at him. "Isn't that your thing?" he said finally. "I don't want to get in the way."

"Right," she said, shrugging slightly. "It is kind of our thing."

"Then don't worry about me," he said, going back to his food, as if the matter was settled.

Lorelai stared at her cuticles. "Okay," she said finally. She stretched back in her chair a little, watching him as he ate. "But if Rory asks you to come, you won't say no, right?"

"Of course not," he replied, and winked. Lorelai's unease dissipated slightly, and she smiled.

* * *

The store was empty. He'd already made good on his promise to take his dad's truck away from him, parking it in his own driveway on Maple Street. If he felt good enough to walk all the way there and get it, then Luke would believe he was well enough to work. Stubborn ass, he grumbled inwardly. But now he had nothing left to do but stare moodily out the window, looking at the people passing by the store on the street. He'd had one person come in all day, and that person had only bought a hammer. He wondered if it had been a pity hammer. Taylor had railed against big box stores at the last town meeting, decrying them as destroying America. Sales had gone up for less than a week, but it had somewhat soothed the pit in his stomach. At least momentarily.

Tapping his fingers against the counter, he considered briefly what Lorelai had talked about a few weeks ago. She'd shyly mentioned adding some non-hardware items to the store, just to get more bodies in. Maybe woodworking manuals or something. Birdhouse making kits for kids. He turned away from the window, opening up the file cabinet. Maybe he could find the supply order and catalogue, make some notes. He could at least run it by his dad. The worst he could say would be no.

As he rifled through the papers, the phone rang. He picked it up without stopping what he was doing. "Williams Hardware, this is Luke," he barked into the phone, cradling it between his shoulder and cheek as he continued to dig for the supply order.

"Hey, big brother!" came the cheery reply, and Luke winced.

"Liz," he growled. "Right on time. It's been, what, two years?"

The voice on the other end laughed. "Aw, Luke, you cut me to the quick!"

Luke snorted. "What, you're quoting Shakespeare to me now? Are you shacking up with another professor?"

"Really, Luke, I did pay attention in school. Probably more than you did."

"What do you want, Liz?" he asked, gritting his teeth against the inevitable.

"Is Dad around?" she asked.

He didn't bother to tell her that he was sick. Why would she care? "Nope, he's not. What do you want?"

"Well, I'm kind of in between jobs right now, and so things are a little tight…"

"Were you going into work high again?" he snapped. "Ugh, I don't even want to know." He pressed the phone against his ear and dropped his voice to a growl. "Listen, if you want money, you need to come home and get it." And he hung up.

* * *

Lorelai snickered when she spotted the old green truck parked beside the Toyota. The battle between father and son appeared to have kicked into the next level. She wondered how long it would be before Bill got Rory to give Luke her patented doe eyes, raising the stakes.

As head of housekeeping, Lorelai's day started a little later than the crack of dawn, which she appreciated. There had been a fair amount of growing pains in order to settle into the new position, but luckily, Nancy had trained her well in the two week crash course she'd been given. Lorelai waved to Louise at the front desk on her way into the supply room, then checked through the schedule, matching it up with check outs, check ins, and rooms that needed refreshing.

Lorelai had been surprised by how easily everything had clicked into place. There was sheer determination to succeed, but also some kind of natural ability had shone through, one that Mia had evidently been able to suss out from the short time that she'd been working as a maid before the promotion. She hated to consider it, but perhaps her mother's grooming of her over the years to prepare her for servitude to the DAR had actually been useful.

"Hannah! Just the gal I wanted to see," Lorelai said, as the short blonde girl came in the supply room.

"What's up?" Hannah asked, sidling up beside her to check the schedule.

"Betty called in sick–"

"Again?" Hannah interrupted, heaving a sigh. She knew what was coming.

"I know, I know," Lorelai replied, her mouth curved into a grimace. Betty was getting fired, and they all knew it.

"Ok, where do you need me?" Hannah asked glumly. They worked it out between the two of them, splitting up the rooms that needed to be cleaned first, and leaving the refreshes for Donna, who was coming in later that morning. Hannah was sweet, but she knew that she wasn't going to last either. Lorelai was in a peculiar position, being only 19 and the person to whom all these maids were reporting to. Hannah was two years older, attending community college in the evenings and working in the mornings, and Lorelai could already see her itching to find another job. She didn't have a kid and a husband keeping her in Stars Hollow, using the community as a safe cocoon to hide in. She supposed that Hannah felt like she owed it to herself to search for greener pastures. Lorelai knew what lay beyond the fence, however, and was happy where she was. She just wished she wasn't training new maids every other week.

As Lorelai pushed her own cart toward the block of rooms that she would be cleaning, she heard Mia's voice calling her name. She turned, watching as Mia walked up to her. "I hear congratulations are in order!" she said, smiling.

Lorelai furrowed her brow. "Congratulations?" she asked.

"Yes!" Mia reached her, pulling her into a one-armed hug. "My little high school graduate!"

"Oh!" Lorelai said, laughing a little. In the haze of doctors visits and power struggles between Luke and Bill, she'd nearly forgotten her own milestone. She'd taken two semesters of evening classes in order to achieve her high school diploma. Initially, she'd assumed she'd just undergo the GED testing, and be done with it, but the guidance counselor had strongly advised actually taking the longer route, in the event she ever wanted to go to a college or university. Luke had encouraged her, too, and since she'd only had two years of school to make up for, she went for it.

They had planned to go out for a celebratory dinner the night that Bill ended up in the emergency room for the cold that wouldn't quit. Amidst all the shuffling that had gone on between her, Luke, and Rory, the celebration had been forgotten.

"How's Bill doing?" Mia asked, stepping back.

"Well, apparently he's stubborn as a mule, because Luke had to take the truck away from him to prevent him from going into the store."

Mia chuckled, shaking her head. "Lord, that man," she said. "Listen, if you need someone to take Rory for an evening so you and Lucas can have some time to yourselves, make sure you let me know, okay?"

Lorelai blushed a little. "Okay," she said. As much as she wanted to take Mia up on that offer, she knew that Luke would be too distracted until Bill was well and things went back to normal.

* * *

Luke parked the truck in front of the house he'd grown up in, resting his hands on the steering wheel for a moment. It had been a week since he'd taken the truck, and the night before, his father had nearly ordered him to return it. "I'm _fine_ , Lucas," he'd said, and Luke could almost hear his teeth grinding. Luke kept him on the phone for several minutes, waiting for a telltale wheeze or cough. When none emerged, he was satisfied that Bill was well enough, and promised to be over first thing in the morning.

"Dad?" he called out, opening the front door. Bill walked out of the kitchen into the dining area, holding a mug of coffee.

"Lucas," he grumbled. "About damn time. Did you have to wait for forest animals to dress you this morning?"

Luke checked his watch. "It's barely 8am, dad. Besides, Rory was insistent on wearing her pink socks with the bunnies on them and it took me way too long to find them."

"Fine," he said, waving his hand. "Let me get this poured into a travel mug."

Luke was about to respond when there was a loud knock at the door. He turned, but the door opened before he could reach it, and a woman with a mop of muddy blonde hair stepped inside. "Liz," he said, surprised.

"I'm here, you happy?" she said. Her cheerful tone was underlaid with a touch of whine, a way of speaking that Liz had perfected.

"Lizzie?" he heard his dad say from behind him, and Bill stepped around him, pulling his daughter into a hug. The forward motion propelled a young boy forward too, his hand clasped tightly in his mother's. Bill looked down, one arm still around Liz. "And you must be Jess."

The boy didn't respond, and he didn't look up. Liz ruffled his dark hair. "He's shy," she said. Jess didn't react. Liz wrenched Jess's hand from hers, and pushed him slightly to walk inside the house. He shuffled in alongside his mother, but still remained quiet.

"Did we know you were coming?" Bill asked, glancing over at Luke.

"No, I just wanted to surprise my favorite guys," Liz replied, keeping her eyes on her father and ignoring Luke, who repressed a snort. "I missed you, Daddy," she said, her voice turning slightly syrupy. Luke suppressed the urge to gag audibly.

"Well, this is great!" Bill said, grinning. "I can't wait for you to meet Lorelai. And Rory, too, of course," he added.

"Lorelai?" Liz repeated, and she looked stricken. Luke reveled in her obvious discomfort for a moment. She apparently had assumed that their father was seeing someone.

"Yeah, Lucas's wife," Bill replied, misinterpreting her reaction completely. His eyes narrowed. "Which you would know about if you would return our calls once in a while."

"Right," she said, and she exhaled slightly in relief. She finally looked back at Luke. "Married, huh? Now that's a shocker."

"Wait until you meet her," Bill said, walking away from them, going into the kitchen. "Ah, damn it, my coffee is cold."

"Dad," Luke hissed, glancing over at Jess, who was still standing like a statue. "Not in front of Jess."

"Oh, sorry," Bill said, looking slightly cowed. "Uh, drat," he amended.

Liz laughed. "Don't worry about it, Daddy. He's heard worse." Luke glared at her sharply, but chose not to say anything.

Leaving Liz and Jess to get settled in her old room at the house, Luke and Bill drove to the hardware store in silence. Neither man spoke as they unlocked the door, opened the register, or set about getting the books in order. After about an hour of quiet, even Luke had met his limit.

"You know why she's here, don't you?" he asked, not daring to look his father in the eye. He stood over by the boxes of nails, absently running his fingers over them, while his dad was stationed behind her register.

"Enlighten me," Bill replied dryly.

Luke cleared his throat. "She just wants money. Then she's going to leave again." Several minutes ticked by in silence, and finally Luke looked up into Bill's face.

His father leaned forward, his palms flat on the countertop. "Listen to me very carefully," Bill said, in a measured but firm tone. "Lizzie is my daughter. Jess is my grandson. They are family. Family sticks together, no matter what. I'm not going to punish her for being young, and stupid, and making mistakes." He sighed. "You think that I'm not doing enough, that I'm letting Lizzie run around with no consequences. Hmm?"

"Well, I–"

"I _am_ keeping tabs on her. Do you think I'd just let her go off to the city, with a baby, and let her do whatever the hell she wants?" Luke stared stonily at his father. That's exactly what he'd been thinking. Bill leveled his gaze at his son. "I have a friend I went to school with. New York cop. He checks in, makes sure that Jess is being taken care of, that Liz isn't doing anything illegal. She's going to have to make her own decisions and mistakes. Nothing you or I tell her is going to make a lick of difference. You understand me?"

"Yes," Luke replied, feeling slightly ashamed.

"Good," Bill said, and he straightened. "Now, show me what you were working on with the supply order."

The finality in Bill's tone indicated that the conversation was over. Luke badly wanted to say something, ask why having some stranger keep tabs on his sister and nephew was enough, why his dad was just giving her money with no restrictions, why why _why_ , but he swallowed thickly, and pulled the notebook out of the drawer instead.

* * *

Lorelai and Rory were busily piecing together a puzzle of the United States on the floor of the living room when Luke came home at the end of the day. He had a slight headache, and he knew it was because he'd spent most of the day clenching his jaw in an effort to keep his thoughts to himself.

"Hey, Luke!" Lorelai called over, her voice sounding excited. "Listen to this. Rory, what's the capital of Connecticut?"

"Hartford," she said obediently. Lorelai looked up, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Yeah? Great job, Rory. Listen–" he began, but Lorelai cut him off again.

"No, no, there's more." She turned back to Rory. "What about the capital of New York?"

"Albany."

"Rhode Island?"

"Providence."

Lorelai cackled, clearing enjoying this game. Luke bent over the puzzle. "Is she reading?" he asked aloud, but when he looked over the puzzle, the only words printed on it were the names of the states.

"No, she just somehow memorized them! Isn't this amazing!"

"Yeah, it's unbelievable, really," Luke replied, impressed. "Uh, Lorelai?"

"Yeah?" she said, finally tipping her face up to look at him. He felt a bolt of lust hit his groin. It had been too damn long since he'd been with his wife. He pushed away all the thoughts that crowded his brain, seeing her kneeling on the floor, looking up at him with expectation. Clearly, now was not the time. He'd have to make time later, when they didn't have a small child in the room.

He cleared his throat. "Liz is in town."

Her jaw dropped. "Liz? The prodigal daughter has returned?"

"That's the one. She brought my nephew with her."

Lorelai stood up, dusting off her jeans. Rory had begun setting up her My Little Ponies on the map anyway, signaling the end of her mother's Mensa training games. "What…why?"

Luke jerked his head toward the kitchen, and Lorelai followed him. They stood by the counter, facing each other. Luke folded his arms, and tried to relax, although Liz being back had unfortunately brought enough stress to bend a steel bar. "She wants money," he said finally, glaring out the window.

"Oh," Lorelai said. "I thought maybe she'd heard about his pneumonia."

Luke snorted. "She didn't even know we were married," he replied evenly.

"Oh," Lorelai said again. She tentatively reached for Luke's arm, resting her fingers on it gently, trying to comfort him the best way she knew how. He sighed, and unfolded his arms, wrapping them around Lorelai loosely. He pressed his forehead against hers, and closed his eyes.

"Dad knows why she's here, but he doesn't care. He's going to give her the money."

"He is?" she asked, sliding her palms up his chest, resting them on his shoulders. "That doesn't seem like your dad, to enable her like that."

Luke sighed. He felt her breath against his face, and for a moment, he wished he could just forget about his sister and his father and the store and just everything for awhile. But he couldn't. "She's family," he said finally, with a defeated shrug.

Lorelai pulled back slightly, and rested a hand on his cheek. He looked up at her. "You okay?" she asked gently.

"I will be," he replied. He tightened his hold around her. "I miss you. I feel like we haven't spent any time together lately."

"Because we haven't," Lorelai pointed out. She gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Once things settle down again, we'll go on a date or something. Mia offered to take Rory for an evening."

"Sounds good," he replied. His hand pressed against her back, and he dipped his face to hers to give her a lingering kiss. As they broke apart, he muttered, "I need a favor."


	13. Just Another Heart In Need of Rescue

_Author's note: Hi all! There's a chance you didn't notice I posted chapter 12 on Monday because fritzed up when I was posting it and I don't think an email got sent out. So, if you did, click the back button and read that chapter before this one. Thanks lovelies! 3 Meags09_

* * *

It was a good thing that Mia was a very understanding employer, because the favor Luke needed involved hanging with Jess for awhile so that Bill, Liz, and Luke could hammer out some financial things. It turned out that not only had Liz been fired from her job, but she'd also gotten into some minor check fraud. She claimed it was a total accident, since how was she supposed to know that her boyfriend had been stealing money out of her bank account? She'd thought the checks were good when she'd written them! Luke had explained this all to Lorelai with a fair amount of eye-rolling, and she had surmised that her husband was suspicious about the veracity of Liz's story.

Luke and Lorelai arrived at Bill's home in the late morning, after dropping off Rory at preschool. She was uncharacteristically nervous. Liz had become this shadow over the Danes men since she'd known them, and now, two years after she'd met them and been embraced into the family, she was finally about to see her face-to-face.

Luke opened the front door and ushered her in, his hand at the small of her back. "Dad, Liz! We're here!" he called out. Normally, Lorelai would make herself at home, digging around in the pantry for those delicious cookies that Bill liked to keep on hand or pouring herself a cup from the nearly always half-full coffee pot. Today, she hung back, waiting.

She heard heavy footfalls coming down the stairs and Bill came around the corner, his face lighting up to see his son and daughter-in-law. "Liz should be coming down in a minute," he said, waving. He disappeared into the kitchen. Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand, and Luke glanced over at her, an amused smirk on his face. Before he could tease her about her sudden shyness, a cheerful young woman descended the stairs and stepped into the hallway.

"Lorelai!" she said, beaming. She reached for her, pulling her into a giant hug.

"Oh!" Lorelai gasped, surprised from the tight squeeze.

Liz pulled back and looked her over. "I finally have a sister!" she cried happily. Stepping away from Lorelai, she gave Luke a light punch on the arm. "You sure can pick them," she teased. "I'll never understand why you seem to attract the best-looking ones." Lorelai blushed, and looked over at Luke, who was rolling his eyes.

"Where's Jess?" he asked, looking past her.

Liz waved her arm behind her. "He's coming," she said, turning her attention back to Lorelai. "So, Dad tells me you have a kid, too," she said.

"Uh, yeah. Rory. She's going to be 3 next week."

"Oh, how great! Jess just turned 3 a few months ago. He's my little July baby. Well, not so little anymore," she amended. Lorelai felt like she was being pulled in two directions. She couldn't reconcile this bubbly, happy person with the train wreck that didn't care about family that had been described to her. Liz seemed so… likable. Warm, even.

Bill came out of the kitchen, holding two thermoses full of coffee. He handed one to Liz, then looked between them all. "I see you've all been introduced," he said, seeming pleased. "I think we're ready to go. Maggie is planning to see us around 8:30."

"Okay, great," Liz replied, taking a deep drink of the coffee. After swallowing, she twisted her body toward the hallway, and bellowed, "Jess! Come downstairs!"

Lorelai waited as she heard footsteps going across the second floor, then clunking listlessly down the steps. He slowly made his way down, then entered the hallway. He was dragging a small blue backpack behind him, and his jeans had holes in the knees. He stopped beside his mother, and stared at all the adults silently.

Lorelai crouched down in front of the little boy. "Hi, Jess, I'm Lorelai." He only stared at her, his brown eyes so dark they were almost black, and his unruly hair badly in need of shampoo and a comb. He had dark circles under his eyes that made Lorelai feel a sharp pang in her chest. She swallowed, and tried to think of some way to connect with the boy. "Do you want to come with me to the park?" she asked, and he shook his head wildly.

"TV," he demanded, crossing his arms tightly in front of him.

"Do you watch a lot of TV?" she asked, tilting her head. He nodded curtly. She marveled at how much attitude this kid could fit into that tiny body. "Hrm," she said, tapping her finger to her chin, pretending to think. "We _could_ watch TV, or I might be able to think of something even better." He continued to stare at her, but she could tell he was listening intently.

"There's a place down the road called Weston's, and they have the most amazing chocolate cupcakes. I bet we could even convince Fran to put some extra frosting on one. What do you say?"

Jess pursed his lips, clearly contemplating this course of action. "Kay," he said finally, allowing her to grasp his small hand, and they walked together toward the door.

Lorelai turned, and winked at Luke. Liz watched them, a half smile on her lips. Bill nodded at them, and turned to his kids. "Let's go," he said, and they all exited the house.

The Danes family DNA must have been imprinted with the silent gene on the Y chromosome, because no matter how much cheery chatter Lorelai kept up on the short walk to Weston's, Jess didn't so much as grunt. The only sign that he was still in his body and not a shell of a human was the feel of his tiny hand, holding on to hers with an iron grip, like he was worried she'd run away.

From the bits and pieces that Lorelai had been able to gather over the years, Jess didn't have the same idyllic childhood that Rory had. Liz had a constantly revolving door of friends, boyfriends, and jobs, and they moved frequently, from one illegal sublet to another. Lorelai couldn't even figure out why they moved so much. Was it for employment purposes? Was she in trouble from the law? Getting away from ex-boyfriends? The whole thing was a screwed up mess, and from the looks of the little boy clinging to her hand, it was affecting him.

The bells over the door jingled merrily as she paused in her monologue about Stars Hollow (since Jess was likely ignoring her anyway), and ushered him inside. "Is the chocolate cupcake what you want?" she asked, bending down to try and look him in the eye as well as she could, despite the fact he kept his gaze toward the floor.

"Yeah," he said, nodding. Lorelai smiled. Chocolate was always a winner, she thought.

She sidled up to the counter and tapped the little bell for service. Fran rounded around the back, coming from the kitchen. She always looked immaculate for someone who was elbow deep in flour and sugar most of the day. Fran's eyes crinkled as she beamed at Lorelai.

"So nice to see you, my dear!" she said. She turned toward the coffee pot behind her. "Large or extra large today? I'm sorry I can't fix it like Lucas, he just has the magic touch."

"It's fine," Lorelai replied, matching Fran's grin. "Extra large is great, but will you toss some whipped cream on it?"

"For you? Always," she said. With a smooth motion, she tipped the pot into the to-go cup and picked up the can inside the small bakery case. The whipped cream made a swishing sound as she artfully covered the top. "What else can I get you this lovely day?"

"Well, I'm treating Luke's nephew… uh, I guess he's my nephew, too!" Lorelai corrected herself, pausing. "Huh, didn't realize that before. Anyway, Jess would like one of your famous chocolate cupcakes, but since it's his first time in town, I thought maybe he could get an Ouchie Special." Fran had dubbed extra frosting or whipped cream or sprinkles or glaze an 'Ouchie Special' for Rory, after many a scraped knee had been soothed at Weston's.

Fran craned her neck, looking over at the sullen three-year-old, sitting at a table by himself, and hugging his blue backpack to his chest. Lorelai's heart went out to him. When Lorelai's eyes met Fran's, they passed a silent communication. "Of course," Fran replied kindly, her joy somewhat dimmed. "One Ouchie Special Cupcake, coming up."

When Lorelai slid the plate in front of him, Jess looked up at her warily for a moment. "It won't bite," she said gently. "That's your job."

Something flickered across his face, as if he recognized the joke but didn't know how to laugh. The entire situation broke her heart.

As she watched Jess eat the cupcake, her mind spun. Her first thought was disbelief that Liz would rather live the life she was living than accept the help that she knew her father and brother would be happy to give. But then, she'd gotten lucky, hadn't she? She'd run away with a baby, and been adopted by a whole town, found a steady job despite having no experience, and a husband that gave her the space she needed. As much as it physically hurt to observe Jess and the way his eyes looked haunted, she knew that there was no getting Liz to come home. Not now. Maybe not ever.

If anyone knew about wanting to distance themselves from their parents, it was her.

* * *

Rory's 3rd birthday fell during the week, and so Lorelai decided that two celebrations would be the only fair option, with a family gathering on the day of her birth and a small party over the weekend for her friends from preschool. On Thursday evening, Bill, Liz, and Jess showed up for dinner at their home. Lorelai had hoped that the day she'd spent with Jess would have warmed him up a little, but the boy was stubborn in his reticence to be friendly. He sat down on the couch in the living room and played with a Rubix cube, barely acknowledging the other people in the house. Even Rory, with her sunniness and chatty demeanor, couldn't break his shell. Liz nearly had to strong-arm him to get him to the table for dinner.

"I hear it's someone's birthday today," Liz said, passing the basket of bread to Bill, sitting on her left.

"Me!" Rory cried, excitedly clapping her hands. Luke had surprised her with a little pink bike before school, multicolored streamers and training wheels included. She'd insisted on riding up and down their driveway at least 20 times, her tiny legs barely reaching the pedals, before Luke started bribing her with offers of cake and ice cream to get her off the bike long enough to eat.

"Are you and Jess coming to the party?" Lorelai asked, accepting the bowl of mashed potatoes.

"When is it?" Liz asked, spooning some meat and veggies into Jess' plate, while he scowled at it, looking as if he would make no effort in eating it.

"Saturday at 10," Lorelai replied. She tasted some of the pot roast and closed her eyes in a sigh. Luke had spent the last few weeks experimenting with pot roast seasonings, and she thought this time, he'd gotten it exactly right. Nabbing a man that could cook was definitely one of the things she patted herself on the back for on a daily basis. She turned her attention back to Liz. "It's going to be really fun. We're having a decorate-your-own-cupcake activity. The kids are going to love it." She looked at Jess, who was still sitting sullenly. "You still like cupcakes, Jess?" He nodded, but didn't reply.

Liz ruffled his hair again. "He'll love it," she said. "We'll be there."

But when Saturday morning rolled around, Lorelai could tell something was wrong the moment that she entered the kitchen. Luke was standing by the counter in front of the kitchen window, measuring coffee grounds into the filter. It was a scene she had observed several times, except he was spilling more grounds on the floor than he was successfully pouring them into the filter. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, and set the whole mess down beside the sink.

"Luke?" she asked, stepping over to him, her hand hovering over his shoulder. He turned to look at her, and she could see anguish in his eyes.

He dropped the bag of coffee beside the filter, and wiped his hands against the thighs of his jeans. "She's gone," he said, fists clenched at his sides.

Lorelai didn't need to ask who. "Where did she go?" Lorelai asked, stepping closer, invading the space immediately in front of him.

"God only knows," he said, as he reached behind him to grip the counter's edge with his hands. "It's my fault, I should have kept better tabs on her."

"It's not your fault, she's a grown woman. You can't hold her here against her will." Luke snorted, and let his head fall, his chin tucked against his chest. "Hey," she said, and she cradled his head in her hands, lifting his head so that he could look her in the eye. "It's not your fault," she repeated. Her thumb moved around his cheek, caressing the stubbly surface lightly.

"I know," he sighed. "But you saw Jess, right? You saw what I saw?"

"Yes," Lorelai admitted, cringing slightly.

"You don't think we need to…" he left the sentence hang in the air between them.

Lorelai hesitated. "Have you talked to your dad about your concerns?"

"Yeah, and he says they're fine. He has a old cop friend of his check on them periodically. He said everything isn't ideal, but it's not abusive or illegal."

"Then, I think we need to trust his judgment," Lorelai said calmly. She envisioned her own parents, stepping in to remove Rory from her out of some ill-conceived notion of morality and proper child rearing. "Isn't it better for him to stay with his mom?"

Luke sighed again, as if he were carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She pulled his hands away from the counter, and wrapped them around her. "You know I'm right. And your dad is right. Even if it doesn't feel right," she said softly. He closed his eyes, and pulled her closer.

* * *

Three days before Halloween, mother and daughter were walking through town on the way to the hardware store after Lorelai picked up Rory from the church. Rory gripped the straps of her backpack with her hands, and was trying to explain an upcoming art project that she was doing, but something about loaves and fishes got lost in translation between Kim and three-year-old.

As they approached the market, they heard the braying sounds of a disgruntled man. "It's a disaster!" Taylor moaned.

She and Rory stopped in front of the windows of Doose's Market, watching as Taylor faced off from a man holding a clipboard, who looked both bored and irritated. Never one to _not_ to take the bait, Lorelai bit. "What is?" she asked.

He glared at her, like _she_ was the insane one. "The pumpkins!" he cried.

"What about them?" she asked.

He spread his arms wide. "Do you _see_ them?"

Lorelai looked around. Normally, at least a week before Halloween, the outside of Doose's Market would have pumpkins of varying shapes and colors displayed in ornate baskets in front of the store. Bill had given colorful commentary on the practice more than once. But now, the storefront was bare, the few decorations in the windows looking almost sad without the accompanying gourds.

"I have no doubt that Hank in Woodbury is responsible for this!" he muttered, flapping his hand in annoyance.

"Did Hank steal them in the night?" Lorelai asked, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing. "With a team of ninjas and a black ski mask?"

"Don't be cute," Taylor said peevishly. "Obviously, he found a way to get my pumpkin shipment rerouted to Woodbury, so that they could have their town festival and we'd be left in the cold."

"No pumpkins?" Rory asked, her eyes wide. She turned her doe-eyed gaze to her mother. "But what about the carving? We always carve pumpkins!"

Lorelai didn't feel that it would be helpful to remind Rory that they'd only carved a pumpkin once before, last year, because before that she hadn't wanted to bother with having to clean up a crawling baby that had rolled around in pumpkin goo.

"We'll carve them again next year," Lorelai soothed, trying to ward off the tears she could hear in the child's voice.

"But what will we do this year?" Rory asked.

"We'll think of something," Lorelai said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We always do!"

The girls entered the store, and Rory made a beeline for Bill. "Papa!" she cried, as he swooped her up in his arms, the pumpkin catastrophe forgotten for the time being. Lorelai noticed that it seemed to take much more of an effort for Bill to lift up the girl after his bout with pneumonia. She hoped that he'd be back to his old self soon.

"I need to run upstairs for something," Bill said, setting Rory back down on the floor. "Be right back." Rory meandered back toward her mother, looking at the new items that Luke had displayed by the register. They'd started stocking magazines, like Architectural Digest and Fine Woodworking, titles that Doose's didn't carry. She hoped that it helped bring people in the door.

"So, did you hear?" Lorelai asked, leaning over the counter as Luke checked something in the register.

"Hear what?" he asked absently.

"No pumpkins!" Rory cried out. She pulled herself up on tiptoes, trying to see over the counter.

Luke finally lifted his head. His brows were furrowed in confusion. "No pumpkins?" He glanced at Lorelai. "Is that code?"

Lorelai laughed. "No, we just ran into Taylor. He thinks that Hank from Woodbury absconded with his pumpkins."

"Of course he did," Luke replied, rolling his eyes.

"What are we going to do?" Rory asked, and her chin wavered again. The joy of seeing Papa had already waned.

"Do?" Luke repeated, and he looked at Rory, then back to Lorelai, with concern etched on his forehead.

"Rory is disappointed that we can't carve our pumpkin this year," Lorelai explained, reaching down to run her fingers through Rory's brown hair. She'd always had a fair amount of hair for her age, but over the past several months, it had gotten much longer and thicker, and now reached past her shoulders. She made a mental note to pick up some hair elastics.

"Oh," Luke replied, and he gave her a look that said, _what am I supposed to do about it?_

"I thought we might come up with another idea," she said, giving him a look of her own. "Is there another seasonal vegetable we can carve up?"

Luke stared at her for a moment. After several moments, he blinked, and said, "I think I might know just the thing."

* * *

Rory's eyes widened as they pulled into the apple orchard. Lorelai felt a little awed herself. The drive from Stars Hollow hadn't been too long, although the long, winding dirt road once they left the highway seemed to go on forever. Luke pulled the car alongside some others, and turned to look at the girls. "Ready?" he asked, and grinned at their excited whoops.

They walked up and down the worn paths between the trees, stopping to fill the basket they'd been provided with fruit from the lower hanging branches. "What about the apples up there?" Rory asked, pointing up to the higher branches.

"I think the employees come with ladders," Luke replied, lifting his hand to shield the sun from his eyes as he looked up to where Rory pointed. "And then they sell them in the orchard store. Or maybe at Farmer's Markets."

"Like Doose's?" Rory asked.

"Not exactly," Luke said, and he set down the basket and crouched in front of her. "Farmer's Markets are big outdoor things where a bunch of farmers get together and sell their food directly to us. At Doose's, he buys from the farmer and then we buy it from him."

Rory still looked perplexed, but she nodded. "Is this a farmer's market?" she asked eventually, scrunching up her nose. Lorelai grinned as Luke looked exasperated from trying to explain things to a curious 3 year old.

"Ooh, that apple looks really yummy!" she said, pointing, and Rory took off toward a big red apple, hanging just low enough for her to reach herself. Luke sidled up beside her and squeezed her arm. _Thanks_ , he mouthed, and she bumped him with her hip before tilting her head up for a kiss.

By the time they returned home, they had two overflowing baskets of apples and a sleeping little girl. After settling her into her bed, Luke began prepping the apples for pie. Lorelai watched, resting her hip up against the counter, as he began the arduous task of peeling each one. The kitchen was soon filled with the scent of apples.

"There's too many," she said abruptly. Luke stopped mid-peel.

"Too many what?" he asked, turning his body toward her.

"Apples," she replied. Standing up straight, she rested both hands on her hips, and looked around. Luke's pie-making had taken over the kitchen. He had piles of apple peels, a bowl of peeled whole apples, and two bowls of peeled and diced apples, plus a trash can nearly full with cores.

"It just looks like a lot," he said, turning back to his task.

"Yeah, but how many pies is this going to make?" she pressed. He stopped again, and looked around. His forehead furrowed. "See?" she said.

He shrugged, picking up the peeler again. "So I'll freeze some. Or make some other kind of apple dessert. Apple sauce. I'll use them."

"I have an idea," she said, and when he looked up and saw the smile on her face, he began shaking his head.

"No good can come of that look," he deadpanned.

"Candy apples," she said, ignoring him. "Picture it." She held out her hands, as if she was pitching him a product. "We'll hang them from the tree outside. The trick or treaters can grab them."

"That's a terrible idea," he said. "There will be flies."

"I'll wrap them in cellophane!" she said.

"Lorelai–" he started, but she shushed him.

"No, it'll be fun!" She grabbed a basketful and took off. "Can't stop me!"

Lorelai returned from Art's house minus one basket of apples. She knew he would have all the right ingredients on hand, the sweet caramel, the bitter chocolate, and all the accoutrements that went into spectacular candy apples. He promised to help her make them the following day, so for now, she returned home, her belly full of confections with a tiny box of the leftovers for Rory.

The house smelled amazing when she stepped inside. Luke was sitting in front of the television, watching a baseball game.

"Back from your covert operation?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"I know not what you speak of," she replied, sitting down on the couch next to him. "Rory still asleep?"

"Dead to the world," he said. He leaned back, tilting his head to look at her. "Pie is cooling."

"Mmm," she replied, leaning back to look him in the eyes. There was a sound from behind her, and she turned to see Rory shuffling out of her room, rubbing her eyes. "Hey, baby," Lorelai said, standing up to go to her daughter.

"I'm hungry," said Rory drowsily.

"Ooh, good news," Lorelai said excitedly.

"No pie until after dinner," Luke called over.

"Ugh, you're no fun," Lorelai grumped, leading Rory into the kitchen.


	14. Time To Pick My Heart Up Off The Floor

Seasons continued to change in Stars Hollow. The Danes family celebrated Luke's birthday, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, without much fanfare. The candy apples turned out to be a hit, Rory delighted everyone with her Dorothy Gale costume, her black Mary Janes covered in school glue and red glitter, and their Thanksgiving feast was unsurpassed.

On a cold December day, Lorelai and Rory walked home from the bookstore, Rory's arms laden with another pile of books. The little red flag on the mailbox waved to her, and she motioned for Rory to go on inside as she stopped to grab the mail. A tasteful cream envelope waited for her, and Lorelai groaned once she saw the return address, written in fancy calligraphy in the corner.

"Hey," Lorelai called as she walked into the kitchen, looking down at a crisp white piece of paper. "My parents' Christmas party is coming up next week." She stopped, looking down at it. Only Emily Gilmore would send out an invitation rivaling the elegance of a wedding for a holiday party.

"And I suppose we're going?" Luke replied, looking up from the prep work he was doing for dinner.

"What's that?" Lorelai asked, looking down her nose at the green things on the cutting board as she sidled up beside him.

"Never mind. It'll be drenched in some kind of sauce and you won't even taste it," he replied, moving his body to shield her from seeing the vegetables.

"And yeah, we're going," Lorelai replied grudgingly. "They only see us on Easter and Christmas, after all."

Luke chopped in silence while Lorelai looked over the invitation. "I guess I should get my suit pressed," he said, seemingly from nowhere.

"Huh?" Lorelai asked, her hand falling to her side.

He looked over his shoulder at her briefly. "Well, the last two years I could tell they were less than impressed. Besides, all the other men were wearing suits."

"Luke, you know it doesn't matter what anyone thinks—"

"I want to," he said firmly. "It'll make everything easier and I want it to go smoothly."

"Okay," Lorelai said, smiling. "Thank you."

* * *

Lorelai held tightly to Luke's hand as they walked inside the Gilmore mansion, Rory walking in front of them. "There she is!" Richard exclaimed, nearly swooping down on the girl. She backed up into Lorelai, looking surprised.

"Tone it down a smidge," Lorelai stage-whispered, and Richard nodded. The transition had been awkward, to say the least. They tried to be doting grandparents, but neither of them could let any of their visits go without passive aggressive sniping. Lorelai just tried to get through it, and she usually snuck a gulp or two of martini when her parents weren't looking.

"You look nice," Richard said, and Lorelai realized he was looking at Luke. She beamed with pride, glad that she'd had his suit dry-cleaned and pressed, and purchased a new tie. She'd always thought he cleaned up nice. Luke glanced over at her, and she could tell he was pleased.

But before they could respond, there was a shriek from the sitting room. "Oh my god!" she heard a woman say.

"Maureen! Put your skirt down!" they heard, and Luke and Lorelai shared a glance.

Richard looked startled. "Excuse me," he said, disappearing into the room.

"What's going on?" Luke asked.

Lorelai shrugged out of her coat, handing it to the maid standing nearby, then helped Rory take hers off. "Uh, gonna guess Aunt Maureen's been in the nog again," she said glibly. He shook his head, and they went into the next room, walking past a photographer whose face was beet red. "Gilmore parties are never dull," she whispered into Luke's ear, and he chuckled.

"Lorelai, Luke, you made it," came a familiar voice from their left, and Lorelai turned to see her mother, looking regal as ever in a cream-colored suit.

"You look great, Mom," Lorelai said, holding herself stiffly.

"Thank you," her mother replied. They regarded each other for a moment. Then Emily nodded, and bent down to talk to Rory, and Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know if things between them would ever not be tense, but she wasn't going to place bets on it. Luke curled his hand around her waist, and she leaned into him for comfort.

"Where do you think Maureen went?" he asked, and she giggled.

"Mom's probably got her in the Gilmore version of the drunk tank," she replied, smiling up at him, glad that she had one person to distract her from the hell that was a Gilmore social event.

* * *

Christopher Hayden walked inside the Christmas party at the Gilmore's feeling pretty confident that Lorelai would be bored of her fake marriage by now. He'd given her plenty of time to have her fill of rebellion, and he just _knew_ that she'd fall at his feet in relief, ready to be done being a pauper in a the middle of nowhere. His hands twitched at his sides, just anticipating what it would be like to hold her again. He'd dated and had flings with half a dozen women since Lorelai had told him that she was pregnant, but he still craved the brunette that had stolen his heart as a 14 year old boy. Two years ago, she had resisted the pull between them, but now, he couldn't be more certain that her resistance would snap like a rope pulled taut, and she'd fall into his arms, ready for him to whisk her away.

Many a night he'd lain awake thinking about her, how she was always so willing and pliant with her body, and how her zest for life transferred unerringly into the bedroom. Or backseat. Or closet. Or wherever two teenagers could quickly get naked without being caught. The urgency and danger had been part of the appeal, at least for him. Then after she'd realized she was pregnant, not only could he not get her alone due to the constant surveillance by Emily and Richard, not to mention her burgeoning stomach preventing her from climbing out the window, but she didn't even appear interested. Her entire world seemed to revolve around their daughter, and he had planned to wait it out, until she could spare some of her attention for him, too.

But then, she'd gotten married. When he'd first caught wind of it, in a whispered conversation between his parents when they didn't know he was listening, he'd been worried. The second he saw them together two years before, he'd merely breathed a sigh of relief. They'd acted like siblings, barely touching, both of them focused on Rory and not each other. He knew right then that this guy, who obviously barely had two pennies to rub together, was no threat to him.

So, with his ego primed, opening lines ready, he sauntered into the Gilmore's home. The sight that met him, however, made his blood run cold.

Rory was no longer was being carried everywhere, and instead was standing shyly in front of Richard, her hands wringing the skirt of her dress. He was talking to her with a serious expression that belied amusement, and Rory was nodding solemnly. But the sight that was most shocking was that of the little girl's mother and the man standing next to her. He had his hand curled protectively around her waist, and whispered into her ear. Lorelai was grinning, biting her lip in an accidentally erotic way. His stomach plummeted. Lorelai then said something to Richard, who nodded, and then Lorelai slipped her hand into the man's, and they left the room.

Morbid curiosity led him to follow them, carefully moving through the house that he had once known as well as his own. His worst fear was realized when he heard Lorelai's giggle and an accompanying deep laugh, rounding the corner to see them pressed up against each other in a darkened hallway past the kitchen.

"You're bad," she giggled, as he curved his palms around her ass and pulled her closer, their groins touching.

"You like me bad," he murmured, kissing his way up her neck and behind her ear.

"Mmm," she purred, and Chris felt his hands curling into fists at his sides. _This couldn't be happening._ He turned quietly, and stalked off back to the main party, where he quickly located the bar. The bartender gave him an appraising glance, obviously questioning the legality of serving him, but at that moment an older relative came over to clap him on the back, and the hesitation was ignored.

* * *

"We can't do this here," Lorelai giggled, as Luke nipped at her neck, still pressing insistently against her in the darkened hallway.

"You're the one teasing me," he said gruffly. "Telling me you aren't wearing any underwear right before leaving the house? How am I supposed to concentrate now?"

"I wanted you to be motivated to leave as soon as possible," Lorelai said, tilting her neck to give him more access. He let his hands trail across her hip and rear again, then stepped back.

"Okay," he said. "Is there a bathroom nearby?"

"What for?" Lorelai asked slyly, a coquettish smile gracing her ruby red lips.

"I just need to, uh, take a minute," he said, jerking his chin toward the beginnings of an obvious bulge in his suit pants.

"Sure, just down the hall to your left," she said, pointing. She smiled as she walked away from him, knowing he was watching the swing of her hips as she walked. She exaggerated it a little, just for fun.

But when she walked back into the sitting room, her smile faded and her heart stopped. Crouched down in front of Rory was Christopher. She quickened her pace, but it was like she was moving in slow-motion, unable to get to her daughter before he uttered words that she was praying would never come from his lips. Not now. Not after she was Luke's daughter, in everything but biology.

"I'm your real daddy," he said, and Lorelai heart sank. Rory whipped her head around, trying to find her mother.

"Mommy?" she said.

"Christopher. Kitchen. Now." Lorelai barked, looking around for someone to stay with her daughter.

"Where's loverboy when you need him?" Chris jeered, and she glared daggers at him.

"Dad!" she called, spotting Richard across the room. He looked up, expectantly. "Go to Grandpa, baby," she said quietly. "Mommy is going to have a chat with this nice man. We'll be right back."

Rory reluctantly went over to her grandfather, stealing a glance behind her. Lorelai waited until Rory was next to Richard before she grabbed Christopher by the shirt sleeve and all but dragged him into the kitchen. She pushed him toward the alcove, out of the way of the bustling service staff.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lorelai snapped angrily.

"She should know who her father is," Chris replied, almost sounding petulant. "I don't want her thinking she's half mutt."

"Oh my _god_ ," Lorelai said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Who _are_ you?" He staggered suddenly, and she caught the stink of scotch on his breath. "Ah," she said. "It's all clear now. Christopher got a little liquid courage. Well, hear me now. You stay away from her. You have no legal right to her. She is _my_ daughter, and _I_ make the rules."

"We'll see about that," he said, narrowing his eyes. "Maybe I'll just take this to court."

"You don't have a leg to stand on," Lorelai spat. "You don't have a job, you've never been a part of her life. Don't you dare try to ruin the life I've made for her."

"Fathers have rights, too," he said, but his cockiness was fading.

"You are _not_ her father," Lorelai said angrily. "You are nothing but a sperm donor. If you even breathe another word about taking this to court, I will fight you." Without a backward glance, Lorelai flounced out of the kitchen, leaving Chris to slump sulkily against the wall.

Lorelai could barely conceal her rage as she gathered up Rory and got them ready to leave. Luke walked back into the foyer as she was getting Rory's arms into her winter coat.

"What's going on?" Luke asked, looking concerned.

"I want to leave," she said. She looked up at Luke, and gestured toward Rory, a silent plea to continue the conversation at home. Understanding, he gave their regrets to Richard and Emily, and packed up his girls into the car.

"One of these years," Lorelai said, curled up in the passenger seat as they drove home, "I hope to not leave my parents' Christmas party in a rage."

* * *

Once back in the safety of their home and Rory tucked away in her bed, Lorelai's anger burst. She paced the bedroom, as Luke sat on the edge of the bed watching her. He'd loosened his tie and pushed his shirt sleeves up, and was loosening the laces on his dress shoes. Lorelai still had her dress on, but she'd kicked off her heels the second she'd walked in the bedroom.

"I can't believe him!" she snarled, turning abruptly on her bare heel. "Can you believe the nerve? He hasn't bothered to even send a birthday card, and now he's threatening to take her away from me? Who does that? Who does he think he is?"

"We won't let him," Luke replied evenly.

"Damn straight we won't," she said bitterly. "I haven't worked this hard for him to take her away from me."

"From us," Luke replied.

"Right, us," she amended. He toed off his shoes and stood up in front of her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"You said yourself he has no job, no contact with her, no legal right. It's his word against yours, and the judge is more likely to agree with the mother in these types of cases, even if everything else was equal. She has a solid, two-parent home here, we are doing well financially, she is happily settled." He bent forward to look into her eyes. "And if he tries anything, we'll fight. Plain and simple."

"I know, I know," she murmured. "It's just makes me so furious," she growled, shaking her head. She looked up at him, and then suddenly put her hands on his belt, yanking at the buckle.

"Hey, hey," he said, covering her hands, preventing her from undressing him further. "What's this?"

"I just need to feel something other than rage," she said desperately.

"I don't want to be your punching bag," he said, shaking his head. "That's not fair."

Lorelai's shoulders drooped and she let go of his belt. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"C'mere," he said, and pulled her into him. "Now, if you need comfort," he said, pressing gentle kisses across her collarbone, "I'm the man for the job."

"Mmmm," she hummed, letting her head fall back into his hands against the onslaught of his tender ministrations.

"How can I calm you down?" he murmured into her ear. "Massage? Hot bath?" He reached his hand up to cup her breast. "Something else?"

"Door number three, please," she replied, letting her eyes drift shut.

"You got it," he said, and she shivered at the husky timbre of his voice. He moved his hand from her breast to pull up her dress over her hips, both hands working together. She stepped back and let him pull it over her head, the soft jersey fabric whipping off in a supple wave. He started to unbutton his dress shirt, and her hands flew to help, both of them pushing the buttons through wildly, as the air in the room grew hot.

He unbuckled his belt, and began to push down his pants, as she scrambled to unsnap her bra. Once undressed, she flew at him, pressing her naked body against his, yearning for his touch to calm her. He bent to kiss her, and she met his lips eagerly, their bodies already tangling together while they stood beside the bed.

She coiled her arms around his neck and he scooped her up into his arms, moving her to the bed as they pressed tightly against each other. She reached down to grasp his cock in her hands, already hard and ready, and she led him to her. He followed her guidance, pushing in gently, still standing upright by the bed and leaned over her. They both sighed in contentment once he was fully sheathed inside her, taking a moment before he began moving again. She clung to his neck as they moved together, the earlier rush of intensity waning slightly. At his urging, she slid backwards so her legs no longer dangled off the edge, and he following without losing their connection.

Once he was fully on the bed, he reached his hand down to massage her clit, stroking in and out of her with deliberate movements, watching her as she climbed higher toward her release.

He loved watching her while they were intimate. She was always so in the moment with him, opening herself to him in a way that he'd never experienced from a lover. Her face would tense slightly right before she hit her orgasm, then completely relax, her jaw going slack and the crinkles in her forehead smoothing out, as she moaned from deep down within her body. It was always that moan that would hurtle him over the edge to join her, his breathing becoming erratic and choked as he exploded within her, and this time was no exception.

She pressed her palm to his cheek as she regained her bearings, swallowing hard as she tried to slow her breathing. He bent forward, pressing kisses along her cheek and down to her neck as her fingers twined around the curls at the nape of his neck. "Feeling calmer?" he mumbled against her skin, and she nodded silently. He pulled back, hovering over her a moment before he leaned down to kiss her lips.

"Thank you," she said softly as he shifted his body to lay on his side beside her. She curled into him, her skin forming goosebumps from the sudden lack of hot skin covering her. He rubbed her arm, pulling her closer, tucking her head underneath his chin.

"You're welcome," he said. They laid across the bed, their feet just over the edge for a moment, before Lorelai began to shiver slightly. "Come on," he said, sitting up and pulling the blankets down. They both crawled underneath the covers.

"Did you lock the door?" Lorelai asked sleepily.

"No, I'll be right back," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her temple before getting to his feet. He flipped the lock, then turned back to the bed just in time to hear a soft snore. He smiled slightly, then slipped in beside her, tugging her back into his arms.

* * *

Only a week after the new year, Lorelai was just arriving at work when she got a frantic call from Luke. She'd barely walked inside the Inn when Mia flagged her down from the hallway just outside her office.

"I'm taking Dad to the hospital," he said without preamble once she said hello.

"Where's Rory?" she asked, feeling her heart pounding.

"I left her with Miss Patty at the dance studio. She's going to take her to school and pick her up."

"Okay, I'll meet you there," she said, and passed the phone back to Mia. "Luke is taking his father into the hospital," she said, the surreal panic starting to take over. "I—I need to go, I need to be there," she said, and she turned as if to go, but couldn't remember how to get to the parking lot.

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'll drive you," Mia said firmly, ushering Lorelai toward her own car.

She let Mia take charge, maneuvering her body through the hospital hallways looking for Luke. Once they reached the ICU, a nurse stopped them. "Only family is allowed to see the patient," she said, looking them up and down.

Mia pointed to Lorelai "This is his daughter-in-law." The nurse let her go into the room, where Bill lay in the hospital bed, barely conscious. Luke stood, looking out the window, his hands gripping the edge of the pane like he intended to break it.

"Luke?" Lorelai said, stepping closer. His head moved slightly, but he didn't turn. She stood next to him, and rested a hand gently on his arm. "What happened?"

He inhaled deeply. "I got to the store this morning," he said, his voice thick and gravelly, "and he was slumped over the counter." Luke swallowed. "He was breathing, but he was really… It was labored." Luke leaned forward, pressing his head against the glass. "I called emergency services, and they sent an ambulance."

Lorelai rubbed his arm, trying to soothe him. She glanced over at Bill, connected to a variety of machines and tubes. He appeared to be breathing fine, and hadn't been intubated. "Do they know what's wrong?"

"Not yet," Luke replied. "They gave him something to help his breathing, and they are running some tests. I don't know if the pneumonia is back or what. I think he's going for an x-ray later."

"Can I get you anything? Some food?"

Luke pulled back from the window, and turned, slumping against the wall heavily. "No," he said, finally, looking utterly defeated. Lorelai wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking her head underneath his chin.

* * *

Hospitals were never exactly a fun place to be, but Luke could see himself beginning to really hate them. The smell was overwhelming. The decaying, soiled, rotten stench wafted from everywhere. And if that smell wasn't enough, it battled for dominance from the ammonia and bleach used to clean up after it. Patients hobbled around, family members with tear-streaked faces hid behind their hands, and doctors and nurses stalked around with calm indifference. It was hell.

Lorelai came and went the best she could, but someone needed to carry on normally for Rory's sake, and so she'd taken a reduced workload at the Inn and cared for Rory, bringing her in to see Bill before dinner every day. He was able to sit up now, and carry on a short conversation, although he was still weak and winded easily. If the doctors and specialists had any indication over what was going on, they weren't sharing.

Not that he asked. Part of him wasn't sure he wanted to know.

After the third day of pacing around the hospital room, Lorelai finally convinced him to go home. "Just long enough for a shower and some real food," she said. Mia stayed with Bill, giving Luke at least the reassurance that if something changed, he would be notified immediately.

"How are you doing?" Lorelai asked, pulling out of the parking lot of St. Joseph's.

"I don't know," Luke replied gruffly. He looked out the window at the passing buildings as they drove toward home. He sighed. "I wish I knew how long this was going to go on."

"Have the doctors said anything yet?" she asked. He shook his head. She heaved a sigh, leaning back against the seat, and navigated the car toward the Stars Hollow exit.

By the time he'd returned to the hospital after a shower and picking at the food that Lorelai had placed in front of him, there was finally a man in a white coat waiting for him outside of his father's room. "Lucas Danes?" the man asked, holding a clipboard and a ball point pen.

"Yes?" he replied, nervousness tingling his spine.

"I'm Dr. Margulis," he said, extending a hand. Luke shook it warily. "I've been looking over your father's test results, and we think that the problem appears to be asthma."

Luke was perplexed. "Asthma?" he replied, furrowing his brow. "That doesn't make any—"

"We believe it's likely late onset occupational asthma, brought on by the type of chemicals used in the work he's involved in."

"But he owns a hardware store," Luke replied. "We don't breathe in chemicals." He paused. "We do mix paint on occasion, but it's really not that often."

"There are a lot of varnishes and chemicals in your line of work, and he admitted that he had contact with asbestos fibers in the last six months."

"But that was…" Luke trailed off. He shook his head. "Okay, so now what?"

"Well, we're going to keep him for a few days, run a few more tests to make sure. The last attack was incredibly difficult for him, and he'll need some breathing treatments. We're going to insist that his place of work be thoroughly cleaned for excess dust and other lung irritants. He'll also get an inhaler to keep on hand."

"Okay," Luke replied, sagging slightly. He almost wished Lorelai had come in with him, so they could hear the news together. "Have you talked to my dad yet?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Danes is aware of the diagnosis and treatment plan. I also told him that I was going to enlist you to make sure he takes it easy, and doesn't overexert himself at work. No more heavy lifting."

Luke snorted. "Bet he loved that."

"Well, unfortunately, his health is more important than his pride." The doctor checked his watch. "Good to meet you, Mr. Danes," he said, his tone giving an air of finality to their conversation. "I'm sure we'll run into each other again."

"Sure," Luke replied, watching the doctor turn to walk swiftly away, off to his other patients.

He went into his father's room. Bill was sitting up, a book of crossword puzzles in his lap. "Lucas!" he said, setting the book aside, using a pen to hold his place.

"Crossword puzzles?" Luke asked.

Bill laughed. "Mia gave them to me. She told me not to get all soft in the head while I'm in here."

Luke chuckled, easing himself down onto one of the uncomfortable chairs beside the bed. "Sounds about right."

"How's Lorelai?" Bill asked. He lifted his arm, coughing once into the crook of his elbow. Luke watched with concern for a moment, but when the coughing didn't continue, he relaxed.

"She's at home. She dropped me off at the entrance, she had to go pick up Rory."

"I didn't ask what she was _doing_ , I asked how she _was_ ," Bill said, arching an eyebrow.

"Ah, well," Luke said, not sure even how to answer the question. "She's fine. She's worried about you."

"And you, too, I think," Bill said. He smirked slightly, as if he knew something that Luke didn't.

"Sure," Luke replied. "She thinks I'm not taking care of myself."

"Are you?"

"I'm trying to take care of you, Dad," Luke replied, beginning to feel frustrated.

Bill reached out and patting Luke's hand gently. "Let her take care of you, son. She wants to."

Luke didn't really understand what the point of the conversation was, but he agreed, hoping his dad would just let the subject go.


	15. You're One Of My Kind

Once Bill returned home, he was on doctor's orders to take it easy, which meant that Luke had to do the lion's share of work around the store once again. So they returned to another round of late nights, where he didn't see either Lorelai or Rory most days. It also meant many long hours by himself at work, trying to dig the business out of the hole that it was still falling down into, as more and more of their regulars were lured by the cost-savings at Home Depot. The magazines had failed, so that idea was down the drain. It was impossible to compete with the selection and pricing of the bigger stores, and they couldn't provide any of the instructional classes, either, with only two employees.

At least the basics were still moving. Luke was counting their inventory of screwdrivers, washers, and nails when the bell over the door jangled. "Be right with you," Luke called out, and he wiped off his dirty hands on his jeans before stepping around the shelf. He stopped short as he took in the woman in front of him.

"Hey, how's it going?" she said. She smiled, looking a little sheepish. Time stood still as he gawked at her. How long had it been? 3 years? Her hair was longer now, but otherwise, she looked exactly the same.

"Rachel?" he replied, stunned. "What are you— I mean, that is—"

"Not happy to see me?" she asked, her smile turning shy.

"I didn't think you'd come back," he replied honestly.

"Well, I was coming home for a few weeks and I heard about your dad. I just wanted to…check in." She ducked her head slightly.

Luke opened his mouth, but shut it again. "Well, you checked in," he said briskly, and walked around the counter, putting a barrier between them.

"Don't be like that," she said softly.

Luke barked a mirthless laugh. "Like how?" he demanded. "Wondering why you showed up here, years after you ditched me?"

"I didn't ditch you!" Rachel retorted, eyes blazing. "I have dreams. Goals. Things I wanted to do with my life that took me out of Stars Hollow."

"Yeah, because this town isn't good enough for you," he said, nodding. "Well, message received."

"Luke, please—"

He held up his hand. "I don't want to have this fight, okay?" He sighed heavily. "It's been a long couple of weeks, and I have work to do." He met her eyes steadily. "I'll tell my dad you asked about him."

"Okay," Rachel said, and he thought he caught a slight quiver in her lip. He turned away, not wanting to allow her to get to him. She'd had her chance, and she'd thrown it away, along with him. He heard the door open gently, and shut behind her, the bells even sounding a little sad.

* * *

Lorelai was surprised to see a beautiful redhead talking to Luke when she walked toward the hardware store that afternoon. They were having a conversation, and neither of them appeared to be happy about it. Luke held up a hand, as if to stop her from talking, and the woman turned and walked out, rushing past without looking at her.

Lorelai opened the door, and Luke turned. The tension in his face faded as he realized it was her. "Hi," she said uneasily, turning again to see the redhead disappearing down Main Street. She jerked a thumb toward the figure. "Who was that?"

"Hrm?" he said, opening a file cabinet. "No one."

"Luke," she said, and his shoulders stiffened. "Don't lie to me."

He sighed. "That," he said, looking weary, "was Rachel." Lorelai felt a burst of fear at the sound of that name.

" _The_ Rachel?" she asked, hearing the trepidation in her own voice.

"Yes, _the_ Rachel."

"What did…she want?"

"She heard about dad. She wanted to 'check in', whatever that means." He shook his head. "Doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Lorelai pressed. She walked around the counter, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. "You seem pretty upset over something that doesn't matter."

"I just…I wasn't expecting to see her. It was a surprise. That's all." Luke looked up, and brushed aside a curl that was in her eyes. "I'm fine, okay?"

She looked at him, trying to decipher the myriad emotions she saw flickering through his eyes, but she nodded. "Okay."

"So, what's going on?" he asked, going back to the cabinet.

"I have to be at the Inn, I was hoping you could pick up Rory from school. She can hang out here, she's got books and toys upstairs in the office."

"Yeah, no problem," he said, and gave her a quick kiss. He smiled, and she tried to smile back, but the uneasiness stayed.

* * *

The Rachel issue, as she had begun referring to it in her head, really bothered her. As much as Luke appeared to not be ruffled by it, it niggled at her incessantly. She tried to ignore it, telling herself that it was just her overactive imagination. She didn't even really know why it bothered her so much, other than the fact that Rachel's presence could mean everything changing. Normally, Lorelai loved change. Change could be new and exciting. But she didn't want too much to change for Rory. Rory was settled and happy, and she had an extended family that loved her. She didn't know what Rachel's appearance could mean for that stability.

She kept all those thoughts to herself. She had Rory to focus on, after all. So, the afternoon after she'd first seen Rachel, she was home with Rory, showing her how to tie her shoes by teaching her the bunny rhyme that one of her many nannies had taught her.

"Bunny ears, bunny ears, jumped into the hole. Popped out the other side, beautiful and bold." Rory carefully tied the laces, her little fingers moving with precision until she pulled the knot tight. "See! You did it!" Lorelai cried, clapping her hands. Rory beamed proudly, before promptly undoing the laces. Lorelai paused. "Uh, what are you doing?" she asked her daughter, who was intently undoing everything she'd just done.

"Practice," she replied, looking up at her mother as if she were an idiot. She then began to retie the shoes, mumbling the bunny poem to herself.

"Of course, stupid me," Lorelai replied with a grin. She smoothed Rory's hair back gently. "I think this victory calls for a snack." She eased herself up off the floor and went into the kitchen, pulling out the hidden box of Oreo cookies. She placed some cookies onto a plate and was just about to hide the box again when the phone rang. "Hello, Danes Family Shoe Tying School!" she chirped.

She heard Bill's warm chuckle on the other end. "Lesson going well?" he asked.

"Yes, Rory is currently trying to set a record for how often she can untie and retie her shoes before I go nuts," Lorelai replied. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure if Lucas told you, but his old friend from school is in town for a few days, and Maisie and Buddy wanted us all to get together for dinner tonight. Say, six o'clock?"

Lorelai's heart nearly stopped. "Uh, okay, sure," she replied, trying to sound upbeat. After hanging up, she glared at the cookies, her appetite having vanished.

* * *

While they'd been to Sniffy's many times over the last few years, they normally only came during off hours, or when the restaurant was closed for holidays. That way, Maisie and Buddy could actually sit down and enjoy the meal with them. This time, the restaurant was nearly packed, and the hostess led them to a large round table slightly off from the center of the room. The buzz from the other diners helped Lorelai feel slightly less anxious. Being amidst a crowd had always been soothing for her. Rachel and her father were already seated, and they stood to give warm hugs and handshakes to Bill and Luke, although Luke sat down before Rachel could extend him a greeting. She turned to Lorelai.

"Hi, I'm Rachel," she said, a warm, friendly smile on her face.

"Lorelai," she replied. She smiled, hoping that it didn't resemble a grimace. She turned to place a hand on the top of Rory's head. "This is Rory, my daughter," she said, and Rory beamed up at the strange woman.

"I'm three," Rory announced to her, and Rachel chuckled a little.

"Three! That's wonderful," she said, but Lorelai noticed her gaze kept darting over to Luke, who was purposely not making eye contact with his former girlfriend.

"And we've met before," said Robert, pulling her into a bear hug.

"Yes, good to see you again," Lorelai replied once he'd released her.

Everyone sat down, Lorelai sandwiched between Luke and Rory. There was an empty seat between Luke and Rachel and it seemed glaringly obvious to have been on purpose.

"Did you see _The Princess Bride_ movie?" Rory asked, breaking the uneasy silence, and when Rachel shook her head no, Rory proceeded to give her a Siskel and Ebert style review and detailed plot summary. Lorelai took the chance to move her lips toward Luke's ear.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, and Luke glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to the menu in front of him.

"Fine," he said quietly. "Just tired. Long day at the store."

"Right," she said, although she didn't believe it for a second.

"So, Rachel," Bill said, sitting on Rory's other side, interjecting during a brief moment when Rory paused for breath, "tell me about that job you have. You're working with another photographer?"

"Yeah," she said, finally tearing her attention away from Luke. "His name is Sean Stone. He freelances for a lot of magazines and newspapers."

"How did you connect with him?"

"Uh, he taught a photography class I took at the community college," she said, and Lorelai thought her cheeks reddened slightly. Rachel cleared her throat. "He came back into town a few years later, and asked me if I was interested in interning with him. It was a great opportunity."

"I'd say so," Bill said, before casting a sidelong glance at his son, who was studying his menu, acting as if the conversation around them wasn't even happening.

"Rach has been sending me postcards from all over the place," Robert said proudly. "I have them all plastered over my fridge. I'm thinking about having them laminated onto a poster board."

"Wow," Lorelai replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Rachel!" they heard Maisie call brightly, and Lorelai turned toward the voice to see her coming over, a great big smile on her face. Rachel stood, and let herself be wrapped up in a hug. "So good to see you, dear," Maisie said, holding her at arm's length.

"Good to see you, too," Rachel said, smiling brightly.

"Come in the kitchen and say hello to everyone," she said, tugging Rachel by the arm.

Once Rachel had disappeared from sight, Lorelai tapped Luke on the shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

He blinked a few times, before tilting his head to murmur in Lorelai's ear. "This is just really weird, you know?" he said.

"You should try to make an effort," Lorelai chided gently.

He sighed. "Fine," he replied.

As promised, Luke attempted to engage in the rest of the conversation once Rachel returned, adding in a few short comments here and there, but it was enough to dispel the awkwardness that had been over the group before. Buddy came out briefly to say hello to everyone else when their entrees came, and Rachel and Robert graciously looked at all of the photos of Rory that Bill brought out once they'd ordered dessert.

"I can't believe you still have that old truck," Robert said, passing back a particularly cute one of Rory, posing playfully on the bed of the truck with the tailgate down.

"She hasn't let me down yet," Bill replied, tucking the photos back into his wallet.

"Remember when she broke down on the way to the community center?" Robert said. He glanced over at Rachel. "You two were on your way to senior prom. You called me crying that your pictures would be ruined if I didn't stop Luke from trying to fix it in his tux."

Rachel looked embarrassed as Bill chuckled. "I remember that well," he said. He jerked his thumb over at Luke. "Lucas here was ticked that I told him to stop fixing things."

"It was a quick fix," Luke grumbled good-naturedly. "We would have been there on time if you hadn't insisted I leave it."

"With a huge oil stain on your white shirt!" Rachel retorted indignantly. Everyone laughed, and Lorelai smiled, but she felt her heart sinking.

"What so funny about that?" Rory asked, looking over at her mother.

Lorelai smoothed a piece of Rory's hair, tucking it behind her ear. "They're just remembering some good times," she said softly.

* * *

Luke's mood had greatly improved by the time they got home, and he seemed to have enjoyed the dinner more than he'd expected to. He was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth, and Lorelai sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the blanket with both hands. Steeling herself for what she needed to ask, but dreading the answer she was going to get.

"I can't believe some of the things we got up to," Luke was saying.

"Unbelievable," she made herself reply half-heartedly. Her heart was pounding against her chest and she felt a pit in her stomach growing wider.

He walked out of the bathroom, and saw her face. "What's wrong?" he asked, a look of panic flitting across his face.

"Are you… going to go back to her?" Lorelai asked, her voice trembling. Luke fell to his knees in front of her, and grabbed her hands. He bent forward so he could look into her eyes.

"No," he said firmly. "No, Rachel and me, we're over."

She sighed in relief, but she could feel herself still full of anxiety. "I mean, we never really talked about arrangements if either of us changed our mind, and I was just wondering if I needed to start preparing Rory for that—"

"No," he said again, and he pulled her close. He got to his feet, and shifted so that he was sitting beside her on the edge of the bed. She buried her face in the warmth of his flannel shirt, and reached her arms around his waist, clinging to him.

"I'm never going back to Rachel," he said firmly, and he sounded so sure, so certain, and so final, that Lorelai breathed a sigh of relief. "What brought this on?" he asked, pulling back a little. "Did she say something to you?"

"No, I just," Lorelai laughed humorlessly. "We haven't been, you know, together, since she showed up in town. I just started to think—"

"Oh, Lorelai," he said, and he swept his hand up to press against her cheek. "I promise you that I will not be going back to Rachel. Ever. She and I are done."

"Okay," she said softly.

"Now," he continued, "You are right that it's been a little while." The corners of his mouth twitched, and his hand shifted to cover her ass, pulling her up into his lap. He squeezed her ass lightly, and pulled her even closer against him. She could already feel his arousal present there, and felt a tingle of desire shoot up her spine. He moved his mouth to be next to her ear. "Should we fix that?"

"Yes," Lorelai breathed, closing her eyes.

"The past few weeks have been stressful," he murmured, trailing his lips along her jawline. "We both need to relax."

"Agreed," Lorelai said. She turned to straddle his lap, and they spent several long moments just kissing. Lorelai briefly realized she hadn't _just kissed_ a guy without it leading to something else in a really long time. It was really nice. And he seemed in no hurry to get her naked. He gently teased her lips with his tongue, sucked her bottom lip gently, running his hands up and down her back, all the while ignoring his increasing hardness.

"Feeling more relaxed?" he said against her lips, letting her fingers tangle up in her hair.

"Mm," she replied, resting her forehead against his. "I want to do something different tonight," she said. Her arms were coiled around his neck, and they sat pressed up together.

"Different?" Luke replied, sounding skeptical.

"Something we've never done before, with anyone else," she said. She pulled back from him slightly so that she could look into his eyes.

"Never done before?" he asked, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Like, what? Jump out of a plane?"

"No," she giggled. She ran her hand down his chest, stopping over his heart. She relished the hard thump of it against her palm. "Something in bed. Something new."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Whatever you want." She had been looking at her hand covering his heart, and she met his eyes again. She shivered slightly at the look of deep arousal, his pupils dilated, looking nearly black.

"I've already done lots of new things with you," he said, and he lifted one shoulder in a small shrug.

Lorelai's eyes widened. "Really?" she replied, aghast. "But we haven't been all that adventurous."

"Is that a problem?" he said, tilting his head slightly. He didn't look hurt or offended, merely curious.

"I'm not unsatisfied, if that's what you're asking," she said. "I just wanted to give you something you've never had before."

"Aside from a wife?" he replied, and she smiled a little.

"Aside from that," she said.

Luke exhaled forcefully, then slid his hands under her bottom, lifting her suddenly off the bed. He stood, and easily walked over to the side of the bed as if she weighed nothing, bending forward to gently drop her to the mattress. He climbed up on the bed and held his body over hers.

"Let's see," he said, lifting up her sweater all the way past her breasts. He opened the front clasp of her bra and palmed her with his warm hand. She closed her eyes against the sensation, feeling her body respond to his, her nipple beading against his touch. "You're the only one I've had sex with in a shower," he said.

Lorelai's eyes opened. "Really?" she asked. He nodded.

"Oh," she replied.

He bent down, moving his hand out of the way so that his mouth could replace it. She groaned as his tongue swirled around the sensitive peak. "Only person I've ever had sex with on the stairs," he said, his voice muffled against her skin.

"Okay, that was a first for me, too," she said.

He moved to the other breast, sucking on her aching nipple as she moaned. He released her with a soft pop and nuzzled the warm skin. "You're the only woman who's swallowed," he said.

"It's sexier that way," she murmured, as he pressed her down into the mattress with his body.

"You're sexy every way," he replied. He kissed up the side of her neck, and she lifted her chin, giving him as much access to her as he liked. When their lips met again, she flung her arms around him, and raised her hips to meet his, grinding against him as much as she could with his weight pressing down on her. She reached her hands down, pulling up his long sleeved shirt, aching to feel his skin against hers.

"You can do anything you want to me," Lorelai whispered as she pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it onto the floor.

"Good to know," he said, smiling mischievously. Lorelai expected him to suggest something dirty, like anal sex or maybe thrusting his hard cock between her breasts, but instead he knelt between her knees and pulled down her jeans, taking her panties with them. Then he pressed his mouth to her sex and sucked hard, and she nearly bucked against his face.

"Of all the things, you wanted to do this?" she gasped. He reached behind her and grabbed her butt cheeks with his large hands, pulling her even closer to his face. "We've done this before," she panted, feeling herself already incredibly close.

He pulled back slightly. "I've never made you come twice in a row," he replied, and his tongue swept over her throbbing clit, making her sigh with pleasure.

"Oh god," was all she could say. She came forcefully, but Luke didn't let up his attack on her body. The sensation was painful until it switched back to pleasure again. One hand left her bottom and he pushed two fingers inside of her, pressing up against the ridges inside of her. "Where did you learn this?" she moaned.

He didn't reply, but began pumping his fingers in and out of her, before adding a third. Lorelai couldn't stop her orgasm from bursting out of her. He slowly eased up, removing his fingers from her opening, and pressing soft kisses against her clit and labia as her breathing slowed.

Lorelai shivered slightly. Her sweater was still where it had been, pushed up over her breasts, with the cups fallen to the side. Her body glistened with sweat and her heart still pounded as the vibrations of her climax faded. Through heavy-lidded eyes she looked up at Luke, who was staring down at her, looking inordinately pleased with himself.

"Take your pants off," she commanded weakly.

"I'm fine," he said, waving his hand.

"No, I just want to feel you," she said. "I don't think I have the strength for anything else." He chuckled, but got up, locked the door and hit the lights, then shucked off his pants. He helped her get the rest of her clothing off before sliding in beside her, pulling the blanket up over them.

Luke held her body close to his, their skin sticky against each other. "I'm sorry you had any doubts," he murmured into her hair.

"I should trust you more," Lorelai replied, her voice muffled against his chest. "You've never given me a reason not to."

"Just so we're clear," he said, and he pulled back to look directly into her eyes, "Rachel and I are done. I'm not going back to her. Ever."

"Okay," Lorelai said softly, giving a weak attempt at a smile.

"So, am I the first to give you two orgasms in a row?" he asked. Despite the lightness in his tone, Lorelai felt his hand flex lightly against her hips.

"Yes," she said. His hand relaxed, and she snuggled more into his side.

"Good," he replied.

* * *

It would have been too much to hope for that Rachel would have left without saying goodbye. It had been several days since the dinner at Sniffy's, and given Lorelai's insecurities over Rachel, he hadn't brought her up. Even if he'd wanted to see her, which he didn't, it wasn't worth having to reassure her again that he wasn't going anywhere, and he'd be there to support her and Rory.

He heaved a sigh as he watched her march up to the door of Williams Hardware. He tried ignoring her, going back to his inventory tasks, but she came inside anyway. He could almost feel her staring daggers at him. He scribbled numbers on his legal pad, pretending she wasn't there.

"So, you're married," she said, breaking the silence. He glanced over. She was leaning against the wall beside the door, eyeing him with scrutiny. He realized then that no one had told her before she'd come to town.

"Yep," he replied, going around her to begin counting the boxes of nails on the shelf beside her.

"It's a little surprising," she continued, and he looked up and arched an eyebrow.

"Why is that? You thought I'd be here, pining for you the whole time?"

"No," she said, rolling her eyes. "Well, I mean, maybe a little, but what girl wouldn't fantasize about that." She shook her head. "No, I thought you'd never get married. To anyone."

He stopped busying himself with the nails and straightened. "What?" he asked.

"You're just not that kind of guy," she said, shrugging. "At least, I didn't think you were. Marriage takes commitment, and cooperation, and well, sharing of yourself and your time. You've always kind of been a solitary type of guy." He snorted, and went back to his counting. "Well, it's true," she said defensively. "I figured we had a good thing going. I'd go do my thing, and then we could pick up where we left off whenever I came back in town. I thought you'd be thrilled."

Luke dropped the box he'd picked up, and it fell open, nails scattering over the floor at his feet. "Seriously?" he asked, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief. "You thought you were doing me some kind of favor by just up and leaving?"

"You are not the commitment type of guy, Luke," Rachel insisted. "How many times in high school did we break up and get back together? It was our thing."

"We're not kids anymore," he said firmly. "That part of my life is over. I want things to be consistent. I want to stay in Stars Hollow, and have roots here."

"I see," Rachel replied softly. "Well, you got them."

Luke stooped down, scooping up the nails and putting them back into the box. He gritted his teeth, knowing he wouldn't be able to get them all back in neatly. Maybe he could just buy the box and keep it in his own supply.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," Rachel said, interrupting his internal monologue.

He paused, holding the box in his hands. "Have a safe trip," he said.

"So, that's it, then?"

"What else is there?"

Rachel sighed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I can't believe you're being like this," she muttered.

Luke slammed the box onto the ground and got to his feet. "How do you want me to be, Rachel? What would satisfy you?" He swung his hand wide. "This was never enough for you. I moved on."

"Did you?" she shot back. "Or did you just want to shield yourself?"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," he said angrily. "You moved on, so did I."

"I moved on?" she said incredulously. "I just told you I planned to come back someday."

"Yeah, and then leave again, right? Follow after that photographer guy like a puppy dog."

"Leave Sean out of this," Rachel scoffed. "He's done nothing to you."

"Oh, but he's done things to you, hasn't he?" Luke said. He jabbed his finger in the air toward her. "How long did you wait before you let him fuck you? Huh? Days? Minutes?" Rachel glared at him, her cheeks red and eyes narrowed in fury. She kept her lips pressed together, and her silence told Luke everything he needed to know. "I thought so," he said bitterly.

"So this whole thing is about jealousy?" she said, and her voice shook a little.

"No," Luke said, and he brushed past her, going behind the counter, trying to put more distance between them. "It was about me and you, but now that doesn't exist anymore. You left Stars Hollow and you left me."

"I was supposed to give up my dreams for you?" she said thickly. Luke looked up at her, and saw how she was struggling to not cry in front of him. He should have felt bad for causing her pain, but instead he felt a tightness in his chest, like ice.

"No," he replied stiffly. "But it was too easy for you to leave me." He set his jaw firmly. "I have work to do."

He didn't wait for a reply, and instead went into the store room, slamming the door behind him.


	16. You Look a Little Sad Boy, I Wonder Why

_Author's note:_

 _I'M BACK! Sort of._

 _I felt really bad about leaving this unfinished, so I'm about to post the rest of it, most of it was written already, probably a year ago, but I was trying to fill in the blanks and finish the story the way that I had originally envisioned it. It would have likely been another 10,000 words if I had been able to find the creative juices that used to flow so much more easily. Instead, I decided to just write just enough to string the fragments together and throw it up here. I feel bad about it not being up to my standards of storytelling, but it's probably worse to just not finish it at all. So I'm posting the rest of the story over the next few days, and then I will close the chapter on it, and possibly fic totally, unless my muse returns. So without further ado, here begins the end._

* * *

Lorelai gave her daughter a tight hug. "You be good for Mia, okay?" she said, and Rory rolled her eyes.

"Of course I'll be good, Mommy," she said, her little girl exasperation clear.

"This attitude," Lorelai said with a chuckle. "Three going on thirteen."

"Can I go play with the kitten now?" Rory asked, looking up at Mia. Mia laughed and stepped out of the way so Rory could rush down the hallway toward the kitchen, where Mia's new pet was snuggled in a basket.

"Thanks for doing this," Lorelai said, straightening up to standing.

"Of course," Mia replied. She reached over and squeezed her shoulder affectionately. "It's good for you two to have time to yourselves, to be grown-ups. Besides," she added conspiratorially, "I love having Rory around. She keeps me young."

Lorelai raised an eyebrow. "Is that another way of saying she runs you ragged?"

"She's just so _bubbly_." The women laughed together, and with another flurry of goodbyes, Lorelai headed home with a bounce in her step.

Luke had been working so hard at the store, trying to make everything run efficiently, and the added burden of doctor's appointments for his father had made their time alone sparse. But it was Valentine's Day, so she wanted to surprise him with a romantic dinner for two. She'd taken another of Miss Patty's Broadway baby dresses and made it look amazing. A little off the shoulder cut, a little snip on the length, and it was practically ready for Brooke Shields herself to waltz down the red carpet.

Lorelai turned, looking at her reflection in the mirror from several angles. Her dress fit like a dream, she had a spread from the Independence's kitchen laid out on the dining table, and she was buffed and polished. It was all coming together perfectly. She checked the time on the alarm clock quickly, noting that the store would be closing in a few minutes, so she quickly checked her lipstick one final time and hurried down the stairs.

An hour later, her stomach began to growl. She fidgeted from her place on the couch, biting her lip and squirming. She's planned to greet him sprawled out in a sexy pin-up style pose, but her neck was killing her and she was starving. After her stomach made a rather loud, unsexy noise, she got up and walked to the phone, dialing the familiar numbers.

"William's Hardware," came the gruff voice on the other end.

"It's me," she said softly.

"Hey," he said. If she was listening for a guilty twinge in his voice, she didn't hear one.

"I thought you'd be home by now," she said, struggling to keep the petulance out of her voice.

"I had some stuff to do. Bills need to be paid. Inventory."

"Right." She took a deep breath. "I was hoping to spend tonight together."

"We'll spend tomorrow night together, alright?" he replied absently.

Lorelai's heart sank. He'd forgotten. When she hung up, she made herself a plate, eating the heart-shaped cookies first. Eventually, she cleaned up the kitchen, put on her pajamas, and went to bed early, telling herself it was no big deal.

* * *

The cold of February turned into the slightly less cold of March. After the Valentine's Day disaster, Lorelai stopped assuming that she would see Luke at all. She saw Bill more than she saw her husband, since he had taken over the pick up and afternoon care of Rory in Luke's absence. Part of her felt a little numb. She barely even noticed when the Halloween pumpkins were finally delivered, days before the arrival of spring.

On the rare occasion he _was_ home, Luke was mostly present. He tickled Rory and read her bedtime stories. He engaged in perfunctory intimacy with her. But he was still distant. Lorelai waffled back and forth in her head on what it all meant. Maybe their intense connection had only lasted until the lust itch had been scratched sufficiently. Now that Luke had tired of her, it was back to their cordial arrangement. Or maybe Rachel's reappearance had reminded him of all he had given up to be with her.

It wasn't Lorelai's style to keep all this turmoil to herself, and at times, she felt like it was giving her an ulcer. Or a stomachache, at the very least. But how was she supposed to bring it up without making herself even more vulnerable? They hadn't discussed feelings before, ever. She didn't even know if he was still in love with Rachel. She knew very little about the man she married, and for the first time, felt a niggle of regret.

As spring began to make way into summer, Luke entered the kitchen of their small home in the middle of a Saturday afternoon, startling Lorelai.

"Hey!" she yelped, nearly choking on the Pop-Tart she was eating. She brushed the crumbs from her face. "I didn't expect to see you home this early." She placed the magazine she was reading on the table, and looked at him in confusion. He normally was at the Hardware store from dawn until dusk, aside from Sundays when it was closed, and the occasional holiday or town festival that kept them from opening.

Luke rested his hands on the backrest of one of the kitchen chairs. "Dad has an appointment in Boston on Monday. We closed up the store early and we're driving in."

"Oh," she said. "Is that… good?"

"We hope so." He stood up straight, and wiped his palms on his jeans. "It's a specialist, so we're hoping to get some answers. At least a viable treatment plan."

"Right," Lorelai agreed. They stared at each other a moment, then Luke marched past her to go toward the living room. She stared at her hands for a moment, before she heard his footsteps returning.

He stood beside her and cleared his throat, and her head jerked up. He looked almost shy. "Do you… do you want to come?"

The question surprised her. "To Boston?"

"Yeah."

She smiled, pleased by the invitation. The chasm between them seemed slightly smaller, all of a sudden. "I'd love to," she said. Once again, her brain began concocting a plan to make the trip extra special.


	17. And You Give Yourself Away

After settling Bill into his own hotel room across the hall from theirs, Lorelai managed to convince Luke to take her out shopping. She was nervous, and needed to burn off some energy if she had any hope of rekindling their relationship while on this trip. But soon she realized that she'd forgotten how much fun they used to have, teasing and laughing and spending time together. By the time they returned to their hotel, her nerves had almost disappeared and she was feeling optimistic for once.

"All in all, I think that was a fairly successful day," she said, as they tossed their shopping bags on one of the double beds in the hotel room.

"If you mean to make us poor, yeah, very successful," he said, but when she looked up at him, she could see the sliver of a smile on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, grumpy man," Lorelai teased. "I'm going to wash up and get ready for bed." She slipped into the bathroom and closed the door. She opened her toiletries bag and dug around inside the hidden pocket. She pulled out the scraps of blue lace she had stuffed in there without Luke seeing them, fingering the delicate material. Despite the fun they'd had, he'd been preoccupied all day, and she had wanted to surprise him, to completely distract him from the doctor's appointment, from the problems at the store, and from all the stress that he was piling of top of himself. She didn't know if it would work, but she was hopeful.

She undressed, then smoothed lotion all over her skin. She inspected her bikini line, deciding it was probably fine. The panties were crotchless, with dangling garter belts to affix to the stockings she'd also tucked into the bag. The brassiere was barely there, two thin demi-cups just barely holding in her breasts, making them look much fuller than they normally did in a regular full coverage bra. She ran her fingers through her hair, separating the curls a little and arranging them around her face. She appraised herself in the mirror, the palette of peachy skin and dark brown hair emphasizing the blue in her eyes that perfectly matched the lace just barely covering her. She took in a deep breath, and opened the door.

"You would think with a hotel this nice they would have ESPN," he was saying as she stepped into the room, and then he looked over and lost the ability to speak.

"Surprise," she said softly, suddenly nervous. He was standing in front of the television, and the remote fell from his hands with a soft thunk onto the floor.

"You…" he managed to say, trailing off.

"Is it okay? It doesn't look stupid, does it?" Lorelai asked, worried about his lack of response.

He barked out a short laugh. "No, it definitely does not look stupid," he said quietly. He walked over to her, his hands slipping behind her and kissed her hard on the mouth. The sudden movement caught Lorelai off guard, and she stumbled in his embrace. He held her upright, pressed hard against him, as his hands wandered over her body, lingering over the lace-covered places lustily. "You're amazing," he muttered, breaking away from her lips only long enough for her to suck in a deep breath before he dove back in. She rolled her hips toward him, and he grasped them firmly, pushing her even closer, groaning at the contact against his groin.

"So you like it?" she whispered, his lips leaving hers to leave a hot trail of kisses along her neck to that sensitive spot behind her ear. He sucked on her lobe, and she sighed.

"Dear god, yes," he mumbled, and he began walking her toward the bed. Once the back of her knees hit the side of the bed, she sat down hard, and he hovered over her, pushing her back gently to lay on her back. He stepped back a moment, then noticed that the panties were crotchless. "Oh my god, you're going to kill me," he groaned, his fingers reaching out to touch the short curls peeking between the lace.

"That good or bad?" she breathed, already feeling so incredibly turned on she could barely wait for him to touch her.

"So good," he murmured, and she gasped as he touched her gently, trailing the tips of his fingers along the tops of her inner thighs, and parting her folds slowly. "Unh," he said, and as Lorelai looked up to see what was going on, he suddenly pressed his lips to her and pressed his tongue against her, lapping up her wet core like he was going to die if he didn't taste her right away. She watched him plunder her, her lips parted and her breathing becoming erratic.

He pulled back and she whimpered, his left hand still kneading the soft skin of her thigh as his right frantically tore at his belt buckle, trying to free himself.

"Should I take this off?" Lorelai panted, watching him push down his boxers, his hard cock springing free with a jerk.

"No!" he practically shouted, then inhaled deeply, stepping out of his pants and boxers, toeing off his shoes. "No," he repeated, more calmly, swallowing hard. "You're beautiful," he said, his voice tinged with awe.

"I want you," she replied, a step away from begging him to touch her again. He stood back, pulling off both shirts in a swift movement, standing completely naked in front of her.

"You have no idea," he replied, covering her body with his own, teasing her folds with the head of his cock, and capturing her lips in another passionate kiss.

"Please," she whimpered, her hand pulling him closer, drifting from his back to his ass. She hooked her leg around his, tugging him closer. She was so wet, he slipped inside without any guidance. As he entered her, she bit back a sharp gasp and he let out a guttural moan.

"Amazing," he murmured, pushing in as far as he could, going slowly to prolong the moment. He slipped his thumb inside one of the bra cups, the material so flimsy her breast came out with hardly any effort. He bent forward to press his mouth to her stiff nipple, and she cried out. He pulled back slightly, looking at her dazed expression with half-lidded eyes, panting. "I want you on top," he said hoarsely, pulling out of her. They twisted against each other, so that he was laying on the bed, and she curved her body over his. She slid down onto his erection, his hands anchoring her hips, her knees splaying against the white sheets.

He tilted his head back, breathing heavily. She went to move up against him, but he shook his head, still looking up to the ceiling. "Not yet," he gasped.

"What's wrong?" she asked, breathless.

"Need a minute," he hissed through gritted teeth, his eyes squeezed shut. She waited, although her body ached for friction, and her blood pounded through her veins.

When he finally looked back at her, he took her appearance in with a shock of unbridled lust. Her hair was sexily mussed, her lips parted and swollen, her breast spilling out of one side of her bra, and her legs spread over his hips, and with a jerk, he emptied into her.

"I'm sorry," he gasped, rocking her back and forth against him as he climaxed, releasing in hot spurts, unable to contain his excitement even a moment longer. He ground against her clit, hoping she would come with him, and feeling immense relief as she slumped forward, her core squeezing his cock tightly, both of them spasming in unison.

Spent, she collapsed on top of him, and he unsnapped her bra, smoothing his palms over her back and pressing kisses to her hairline, murmuring in her ear. "That was unreal," he croaked, feeling her breath coming in hot puffs against his neck.

"Hrm?" came the soft reply, her body completely melted onto his, unable to even lift up her head.

"I don't think I've had fantasies as sexy as that," he muttered. She let out a short giggle, almost like a hiccup.

"Glad you liked it," she murmured, nuzzling into his neck, her body shifting slightly against his. His now soft cock slipped away from her, but neither of them moved to clean up, and Luke held her against him, listening as her breathing grew deep and even.

Lorelai woke up several hours later, the room bathed in shadows. Her skin itched from the scratchy lace, and she sat up groggily, realizing she was alone in the bed. The unhooked bra slipped from her shoulders, and she tossed it to the floor, then began working at the clips on the garters, and slipped the stockings down her legs. She stood shakily, and pushed the underwear down, looking around the empty room with confusion.

She heard the toilet flush, and then Luke stepped back into the hotel room. "Oh, did I wake you?" he asked, his eyes going up and down her now naked body with appreciation.

"No, I just woke up because the lingerie was itchy."

He grinned. "Lucky for me," he said. He slipped back underneath the sheets, and she slid in next to him. He extended his arm out, and she curled up into him, her fingers roaming over his chest, playing with the hair sprinkled over it.

"Would you ever want to have another baby?" Lorelai asked suddenly.

Luke turned abruptly, his forehead creased in confusion. "What?" he asked.

"Well, your first baby. My second. You know, a sibling for Rory."

"Uhhh, well," he said, leaning back against the pillows. "I honestly hadn't thought about it."

"Well, I'm not 16 anymore, so I was thinking it might actually be a good time to have another baby." She shrugged. "Rory's still young enough that a little sibling could be great for her. Soon they'd be so far apart that it wouldn't matter. It'd be like another whole generation."

"Yeah," he said, but he didn't say more.

"So, that's a no?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to mask her disappointment.

"Well, there's just a lot going on right now," he hedged.

Lorelai sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah," she said softly. "I understand."

"Let's just see how things go with Dad," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "We can always figure it out later. Now is just not the greatest timing."

"No, it's not," Lorelai agreed, trying to muster a smile.

"Let's get some sleep," he said, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes, but it took awhile for her to fall back asleep.


	18. Till Now I Always Got By On My Own

Several weeks after the Boston trip, Lorelai arrived home after picking up Rory from school. She was surprised to find Luke in the kitchen, his hands pressed on the counter and his head bent. Alarm bells began ringing, and she knelt down next to Rory.

"Hey, sweets," Lorelai said quietly to Rory, "why don't you go next door and see if Mr. Brush has any fudge. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy," Rory replied, and she practically skipped out the door and across the lawn. Lorelai watched her until she arrived safely on Art's front step, then slowly walked toward Luke.

"Hey," Lorelai said, as she neared him. "What's going on?"

"He's got months," he said gruffly.

"Months?" Lorelai echoed, her heart being seized with dread. "Months to live?" she whispered.

"Yes," he spat.

"Oh god," she murmured, and then leaned backwards against the counter, her hip digging into the corner. She pressed into it harder, trying to distract herself from the despair she was feeling, but it wasn't enough. She pressed her hand to her mouth, and was unable to stop her tears from coming. They slid down her cheeks silently until she bit back a sob, and Luke's head snapped up.

"Why are you crying?" he snapped. "He's not even your father."

"But, but I-" she stammered, eyes widening in shock, unshed tears pooling in the corner of her eyes.

He slammed his hand down. "It's not fair!" he shouted. "Goddammit," he muttered, pressing a hand against his forehead and squeezing his eyes shut tightly. "I'm sorry, I can't be around anyone right now," he said, and he stomped across the kitchen and left through the side door.

Lorelai slid against the cabinets to the door, and let herself break down completely.

The next day, she still stung from the way that Luke had dismissed her the night before. She didn't bother to remind him that they had tickets to the circus in Hartford. She packed up Rory and all the cash she had on hand, praying she would at least be able to buy some popcorn for her daughter.

Rory kept up a steady stream of chatter the whole way there, unconcerned by her mother's terse monosyllabic responses. She was so excited, she was practically bouncing off the car door. But Lorelai was barely tethered to the present, her mind going over and over how things seemed to be falling apart.

Rory dragged her mother toward the concessions, pointing at all the brightly colored food items, balloon monkeys, and other various souvenirs that were for sale.

"Can I have cotton candy, Mommy?" she asked, turning those big blue eyes on her mother. Lorelai sighed deeply, and searched inside her wallet, praying she had enough cash. Once she found enough bills, she handed the money over and Rory's face lit up as the vendor handed her the stick swirled with the fluffy pink and blue spun sugar.

They found their seats, near the aisle, and Rory looked around wildly, pointing out all the interesting things to her mother. "I'm going to write a story about this when we get home," she announced, pointing across the way to some people working on ropes in a corner of the ring.

But Lorelai was hardly listening. She couldn't stop thinking about everything that was happening between her and Luke. Everything had seemed back to normal while they'd been in Boston, aside from the awkward conversation about having more kids. They'd laughed and joked, spent time together. He'd even obliged her silly idea to get a Harvard sweater for Rory. But they hadn't even spoken since he'd yelled at her. He'd come home late, after she'd already gone to bed, and not said a word. The sheets beside her were cold when she woke up.

She was interrupted from her thoughts with the sound of Rory wailing. She snapped to attention, and saw Rory's cotton candy on the ground, trampled, as dozens of clowns raced down the aisles toward the center ring.

"What happened, baby?" Lorelai asked, grasping her daughter's shoulder, possibly a little too tightly.

"The clown knocked over my cotton candy," she gulped between sobs.

"Which one?" Lorelai asked, all the feelings of helplessness she was experiencing being funneled into rage.

"The one with the blue costume, over there," she sniffled, pointing. Lorelai jumped to her feet, and despite Rory's protests, she stalked across the arena. There was a hush over the crowd as they watched this strange woman march toward the clown in question, her spine straight as steel.

Once she stopped in front of him, the guy looked perplexed. "Is there a problem, ma'am?" he asked, taking a step backwards once he registered her fierce look.

"You need to buy my kid another cotton candy," she hissed.

"What?" he replied in astonishment.

"You knocked it over, so buy her another one!"

"Hey, lady," the clown said, looking decidedly un-clown-like, "this is part of the show, sometimes accidents happen."

"You listen to me, you bastard," Lorelai snarled, then with a stroke of inspiration, she snatched the wig off his head, and took off. The crowd went crazy, thinking it was an elaborate set up within the show. The clown frantically swung his arms toward her, but his clunky costume made him stumble forward. She held the wig out of reach, taunting him with it, as she danced around all the other clowns.

Eventually, the clown flagged down one of the wandering vendors and whispered in his ear. The guy nodded, then walked up to Rory, handing her a giant cotton candy serving, to her utmost delight. The clown snatched up his wig from Lorelai's outstretched hand, and growled, "You need to be medicated, lady."

The rest of the show passed without incident, although every time the clowns came out, the blue-haired one eyed her warily. Once the final bow had been done, she herded Rory out to the parking lot, and got her into the car. Her mind was still whirling with Luke, and what she would say to him when she got home. If she said anything. If he was even _home_.

"Mommy?" Rory's tiny voice said as they pulled onto the highway toward Stars Hollow.

"Yes, sweetie?" Lorelai replied, but she was back to her thoughts, barely listening.

"I don't feel so good," came the small voice again.

"Hrm?" Lorelai asked. "We'll be home soon. Probably too much excitement. You can sit back and watch some TV for awhile."

"Okay," she replied. Then, seconds later, Rory threw up all over herself in the backseat. Lorelai stared at the lines in the highway and barely suppressed an expletive.

At least she had a topic of conversation when she got home, she thought, as she pulled into her driveway next to the truck.


	19. Your Little Piece of Heaven Turns Dark

The doctors had said months, but they hadn't really given an exact number. It turned out to be 30 of them, although the last two were spent in the hospital, watching Bill get weaker and weaker as his lungs and heart gave up. Those two and a half years had come with many separate hospital stays, each time wondering if it would be the last. Lorelai had never heard of pulmonary hypertension before, but due to his weakened lungs from decades of abuse from contaminants and high blood pressure that had gone undiagnosed and untreated, here they were.

Lorelai sat in one of the uncomfortable molded chairs beside Luke, the two of them nearly at vigil by Bill's bed, as they were so often these days. Bill opened his mouth to say something, but began coughing instead. It was common these days, and he grew out of breath just from shuffling to the adjoining bathroom. The walker at the foot of the bed was a constant reminder of how this big man had weakened before their eyes.

"Lucas," Bill said, after his coughing attack had passed. His voice was hoarse and scratchy, and he reached for the cup of water by his bed. He took a few sips and tried again. "Lucas, there's something I need you to do for me."

"Sure, Dad," he replied, leaning forward in his chair.

"I want you to keep tabs on your uncle Louie," he said, and Luke's reaction was to recoil instantly.

"Don't talk like that," he said sharply.

"Lucas, let's not kid ourselves, okay?" Bill cleared his throat, and Lorelai looked over at Luke, whose jaw was set squarely and his hands were curled into fists. "I need you to make sure that his arrangements are taken care of, if he ever needs long term care, or…"

"Or if he goes to hell," Luke muttered, but at least looked regretful after his father shot him a glare.

"Those sentiments are pretty well universal, so I'd appreciate it if you could at least allow him some respect and dignity in his final years." Luke grunted, but eventually he nodded, and Bill relaxed into the bed, looking, if not pleased, at least placated.

"I need to go pick up Rory," Lorelai said, moving to stand up, but Luke rested a hand on her thigh.

"No, I'll go," he said. "I need to check on the store really quick anyway."

"Okay," Lorelai said softly. Luke kissed her temple quickly, and left the room, barely muttering a goodbye on his way out.

"He almost left us in a cloud of smoke," Bill said wearily.

"Hospitals make him uncomfortable," Lorelai said, still looking at the door Luke had just disappeared through. She glanced back at Bill, meeting his eyes. "I guess you knew that."

"Yeah," he said softly. He struggled a little against the bed, pushing himself upright against the pillows. "I'm glad we have a second to talk," he said gruffly, "without Lucas in the room."

"Oh?" she said, feeling a slight foreboding. Bill never wanted to talk. He was very tight-lipped. It was his defining characteristic, and this sudden chattiness caught her off guard.

"I don't think it was any secret that when you and Lucas decided to get married, I wasn't the biggest fan," he began, and Lorelai nodded nervously. "But, I wanted to say I was wrong."

Lorelai's jaw fell open. "What?" she asked, thinking she must have heard wrong.

"You two are great together. And I've seen the way you've looked at each other, there's something there." She blushed, looking down at her hands, fingers twisted tightly in her lap.

"Yeah, we've really connected with each other," she said softly.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

"Known what?" she asked, looking up quickly. His gaze was steady on her, almost as if he were a wise sage, descended from on high.

"That you're in love with my son," he replied.

"Oh, well I," Lorelai stammered, feeling her pulse quicken. "I care for him, very deeply, but I don't know that I'd call it, I mean of course I _have_ love for him, but I just…"

"Lorelai," Bill said gently, lifting a hand only an inch or two, the most he could do in his weakened state.

"Yes?" she said, gulping slightly.

"I want you to promise me something."

"Uh, okay. Another relative you need me to keep tabs on?" she said, cringing slightly at the weak attempt at a joke.

"No, nothing like that," he said with a slight smile. "I need you to promise that you won't let Lucas push you too far."

"Push me too… what?" Lorelai asked, her forehead creased with confusion. "I don't understand."

"He has this tendency to keep people at arms length," he said knowingly, and Lorelai's eyes drifted to the floor. She had definitely noticed that. "And as good as I think you are for each other, I know that sometimes during tough times, that spark can be lost." He paused, waiting several long moments until Lorelai looked back up into his eyes. "I don't want that to happen to you," he said firmly. "When Lucas's mom… when she…" he coughed once, which turned into a minor coughing spell. She waited patiently as he took another drink of water.

"When she passed," he continued, looking directly at her, "I let myself get a little lost. And I know it affected Lucas and Lizzie. I tried, I really did, but by the time I got my bearings, it was almost too late." Lorelai felt tears prick at her eyes, but she only nodded. "You need to keep yourself from getting lost, okay? Don't let him drag you down. You need to keep that spark that I see in you. It's precious, and Rory needs it. You hear me?" His voice cracked slightly as he finished, and Lorelai bobbed her head up and down, unsure of her ability to speak.

They sat together in silence, enjoying the quiet of each other's company for a long while.

* * *

Bill's heart gave out on a cold day in November. The Stars Hollow Funeral Home already had their directions, which eased the burden on Luke slightly, although she could see he was a breath away from shattering.

Two days after Bill's death, they stood in the room where the wake was taking place. Lorelai stood next to Luke, while Rory clung to her dress. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a woman walking inside, looking uncomfortable. When she turned toward them, Lorelai recognized Liz, who immediately began walking toward them.

Luke looked beyond her. "Where's Jess?" he asked.

"Oh, I left him with a friend of mine in the city," she said, her voice wavering slightly. She looked over toward the open casket but didn't move to go near it.

"Liz, you're not serious," he said, and Lorelai could tell he was about two seconds away from losing it. He flexed his hands, as if trying hard not to let them go into fists.

"He's fine, I swear," she said, brushing back a strand of hair nervously. "My friend runs a daycare, she said one extra kid for a day would be no problem. She doesn't mind helping me out."

He leaned closer to her and hissed, "This is unacceptable, Liz. We're going to put Dad in the ground tomorrow and his grandson should be here to pay his respects."

"I thought it would be too much for him," she shot back, defensively. "A funeral is no place for a kid." She glanced over at Lorelai, who had rested her palm on Rory's head. "No offense," she said.

"None taken," Lorelai replied softly. She looked back over to Luke, who was trying desperately to control himself, his face turning red and his nostrils flaring.

"No," he snapped. "No, Liz, this isn't right." He looked around wildly, before jabbing his finger toward the door. "I'm going to go get him," he announced.

"No, Luke, you're not," Liz said, pulling herself up to her full height. "He is my son, and I make the decisions."

"Oh yeah, until the next time you need money," Luke replied bitterly. And with that, he stormed out of the funeral home. Lorelai looked at Liz apologetically, but Liz's face was turned down toward the floor.

Luke made good on his announcement, bringing back a scowling 5 year old boy in time for the funeral, who looked exactly as worse for wear as he had the last time Lorelai had seen him, except this time he was wearing a tiny suit. They stood in the freezing cold at the graveyard, watching the casket be lowered into the ground. Lorelai clutched tightly to Rory's hand, tears streaming down her face. When she glanced at Luke, she saw no emotion at all.


	20. Gotta Blame It On Something

After the burial, everyone gathered at Mia's home. Lorelai tried to take a moment to speak to everyone, moving the attention on to her and Rory and off of her reticent husband, who was standing in a far corner next to Buddy. Every time she spared him a glance, he was staring anywhere but at people; to the wall, the floor, or to the half-full bottle of beer he'd been nursing all evening. His face was a mask, and she was torn between sharing her grief with the town that had loved Bill so much and comforting Luke. In the end, she barely spoke to him. They'd barely been speaking for weeks.

Rory fell asleep on the car ride home. She tucked her daughter into bed, and then she carefully climbed the stairs, not knowing what was going to greet her when she got up there. Luke had been running hot and cold in turns the last few days, and it was always a surprise. She didn't know if he would refuse to talk to her, snap at her, or take her into his arms. She was trying to be understanding, but she didn't know how much more of it she could take.

He was standing with his back to her, looking out the windows when she walked inside their bedroom. His jacket was draped over the chair and his tie was undone, he shirt sleeves pushed up as he rested his hands on his hips.

"Luke?" she called out softly, not wanting to provoke him.

"Yeah?" he replied, not turning. She relaxed. His voice was soft and contemplative, not angry.

She walked over to stand beside him, resting her hand gently on his upper arm. He looked over at her, and she almost fell into those blue eyes. For once, they were clear and unclouded, not marked by misery. Maybe today was the closure that he needed, the final goodbye that would allow him to move on.

"What can I do?" she whispered. She wanted to open up herself to him, to possess him and be possessed. It was in that instant she knew that all the things Bill had said to her were true. She had fallen in love with him, probably years ago.

Without a word, Luke turned toward her, slipping his arm around her waist. He pulled her in slowly, and their lips met. She let him take the lead, allowing him to manipulate her body in any way he saw fit. He unzipped the back of her plain black dress, reaching around and pulling it down over her body. As it pooled on the floor, she stepped out of it, and he leaned into her, pressing his weight down on her as she lay back on the bed. Slowly and silently, he pressed kisses along the column of her neck, her collarbone, and finally arriving at her breasts, where he pulled one pink nipple into his mouth at a time, laving it gently with his tongue. He kneeled against the edge of the bed, and began to unbutton his dress shirt. She waited, watching as he undressed himself, his movements achingly slow against her pounding heart. After he pushed down his pants and boxers, he covered her body with his own, and she arched up into him, wanting to feel the solidness of him, from his wide shoulders down his muscled back, all the way to his firm ass, strong and hard and hot.

For awhile, he just kissed her, letting his lips linger on hers, pressing down on her gently. She wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying this feeling of intimacy. His hand moved toward her breast, and he palmed the warm mound in his hand, circling his thumb over the sensitive peak gently. Lorelai gasped, and Luke slid his tongue into her mouth. She rocked against him, craving more, and he moved his hand from her breast to her thigh, lifting it slightly as he entered her. She sighed as he filled her, their tongues still dancing together, her grip on his neck growing tighter.

His pace quickening, they moved together in a familiar rhythm, as she wrapped her arms around him and he held her thigh, lost in each other. They needed this comfort, this familiarity, with everything around them changing. Their lips separated, too breathless to continue kissing, their breath coming out in warm puffs against each others' faces. Lorelai felt his release becoming imminent, and he shifted up slightly in order to press against her clit. His climax triggered her own, and her jaw fell slack as she felt the bloom of her orgasm spread through her body, his final thrusts punctuated by jagged breaths. He kissed her again, a long, hard kiss that felt as though he was transferring all his emotions to her, before he pulled away.

They slid under the covers in silence, not bothering to clean up or get dressed. He wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled in deeply, wanting to accept all of the comfort he had to give, and to give all that she had to him. For a moment, she laid next to him, feeling the steady thrum of his heart beating.

"I love you," she whispered, and held still, waiting to see what his response would be. But when she chanced a look at him, he'd already fallen asleep.

Lorelai was woken up the next morning by the feel of light tapping on her face. She cracked an eye open, and looked right into Rory's bright blue eyes.

"Mommy?" she asked, sleepily. "Why are you and Luke naked?" Lorelai's eyes widened, and she looked over to see that Luke had shifted during the night and was now very obviously uncovered. She swallowed hard, and tossed the blanket over him, then grabbed her robe and tied it around her. She ushered Rory out of the room.

"What time is it?" she mumbled to herself, before peeking at the red numbers on the clock radio. "Baby, it's four in the morning," she said quietly, as they slipped through the bedroom door.

"Sorry, Mommy, I couldn't get back to sleep," she said, as they went downstairs.

* * *

A few weeks after the funeral, Lorelai was scribbling down a note on a clipboard in the supply room when a thought occurred to her. She raced over to the calendar hanging on the wall, and counted anxiously. She took a few deep breaths and put it out of her mind until she was ready to leave, where she took a quick detour to an out of the way pharmacy. Rory was with Luke at the store, so she had some time to take the test and get the results before anyone came home, hopefully giving her time to process the results.

For the second time in her life, she waited in a bathroom, pacing, for the two minutes to be up before her life changed again. She had to admit, science had done its part. At least it didn't take 30 minutes to get the results anymore. She almost wished it did. But when she turned and picked up the test after a measly 3 minutes, she felt the tightness in her chest ease. No blue line. _Not pregnant_. She shrugged off the whisper of disappointment, and dropped the test into the trash can, covering it with tissues.

She'd nearly forgotten about it by the time she was in bed, nose deep into a Danielle Steel novel. Luke walked into the bedroom, holding the used test by the tips of his fingers. "What's this?" he demanded.

Lorelai looked up. Her heartbeat quickened anxiously. "Uh, it's a pregnancy test," she said.

"I figured, but what does it _mean_?" he asked testily.

"It means I'm not pregnant," she replied, taken aback by his tone. She bent the corner of the page to hold her place and thunked the book onto the nightstand.

"Were you planning to tell me about it?" he asked.

"Uh, only if there was something to tell," she said. "I don't understand what's wrong."

"I told you that it wasn't a good time to have a baby," he said angrily. "Did you decide to just take matters into your own hands?"

"What?" Lorelai asked, the color draining from her face. "How could you even think that?"

"I mean, obviously you have problems with self-control," he continued, his hands practically shaking. "I should have known it would only be a matter of time."

"Excuse me?" she said, yanking back the covers of the bed and jumping to her feet. They faced off, Luke nearly spitting with anger and Lorelai flushed with hurt.

"You always just do what you want," he snarled. He began pacing, and suddenly he turned and thrust his index finger at her. "Why do you think I married you?" he asked, barely concealing his rising temper. "I married you because everyone leaves, and I was tired of taking the risk! I knew that if you and Rory left, I'd be fine. But if we have a baby, then I'm tied to you, and I can't have it! I can't take that risk!"

Tears stung at Lorelai's eyes as she absorbed the hit of the angry words he was hurling at her. She drew herself up, and inhaled sharply. "For your information, I was not trying to get pregnant. I was late, and so I tested, because I was concerned. But I'm not pregnant. And now I'm starting to see what kind of man you really are." Her lip quivered, but she steeled herself to deliver the final blow. "Your father would be so disappointed in you." And she turned and fled down the stairs.

Luke heard the downstairs bathroom door shut, and let his chin drop to his chest. He took a few deep breaths, but couldn't stop his whole body from trembling. In anger, in hurt, he wasn't sure which emotion was stronger. After pacing around the bedroom for a few minutes, he decided to spend the night in the office above the store. He would deal with it the next day.


	21. She Can't Walk But She's Trying

Early the next morning, Lorelai woke Rory up. "Hey, baby," she whispered, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face.

"Mommy?" she asked, eyes blinking in the dim morning light.

"Want to go on a road trip?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat to mask the sadness she felt.

"What's a road trip?" Rory mumbled, struggling to sit up with her mother perched on the bed, holding down the edge of the blanket and impeding her mobility.

"We get in the car, put on some music, and drive. See where the roads take us. It'll be an adventure!"

"Okay," Rory said, her eyes starting to light up with excitement. "Can we listen to New Kids on the Block?"

Lorelai winced inwardly but covered it up in another bright smile. "Sure, kid. Now let's pack a bag."

While Rory was stuffing as many books into her bag as possible, Lorelai picked up the phone in the living room, taking it down to the kitchen in order to prevent Rory from overhearing.

"Independence Inn, Mia Holloway speaking."

"Mia, it's Lorelai," she said quietly.

"Lorelai? Hello. Aren't you off today?"

"Yeah. About that." Lorelai cleared her throat, still trying to speak quietly. "We're going on an impromptu family vacation. Do you mind if I take the rest of the week off?"

"Oh! Well," Mia replied, sounding shocked.

"I'm so sorry for the late notice, but we just thought of it last night."

"Well, I think we can do without you for a week," Mia replied. "Next time, try to give me a bit more notice, okay?"

"Oh, thank you, Mia!" Lorelai said, relieved. "Rory will be so excited. Thank you!"

"Have a wonderful trip, dear."

Lorelai hung up the phone and looked around the house. She didn't know when she would be back, but she knew she couldn't stay.

On the second listen to Rory's New Kids on the Block tape, the easy chit chat between mother and daughter hit a lull. Lorelai felt lighter than she'd felt in days. Weeks. Months. It had been much too long since she'd felt this free. She reveled in the feeling, with the highway flying under their feet and the exit signs whizzing past. She had no idea where they were going, but it felt wonderful. She and Rory, once again, fleeing the scene. This time, however, her heart felt heavy at what she was leaving behind.

"Did you and Luke have a fight?" Rory asked suddenly.

Lorelai looked over, and her jaw dropped. "What makes you say that?"

"He wasn't home this morning or last night," she replied matter-of-factly.

Lorelai gripped the steering wheel tightly. "We had a disagreement, yes," she replied.

"Are you going to break up?" Rory asked, suddenly sounding small.

"Oh honey," Lorelai said, trying to put on a brave face. "Don't worry about it, okay? I'm sure everything will be fine. We just needed to spend a few days apart, get ours heads back together."

"Okay," she said, slightly mollified. They neared a McDonald's sign, and Rory pointed to it. "Does this mean we can have Happy Meals?" she asked, and with a grin, Lorelai switched lanes, veering toward the fast food restaurant.

As they sat in the molded plastic seats with their veritable feast spread between them, Rory dipped a french fry into the ketchup and said, "Why don't I call Luke 'dad'?" Lorelai froze, mid-slurp from her cup.

"What?" she choked, trying to swallow around her shock.

"I know he's not my real dad, you know, the one that made me with you," she said, sounding more like a college professor than a five year old.

"Made you?" Lorelai repeated, eyes wide. "Honey, we have not had the birds and bees talk yet. Where is this coming from? How do you know this?"

She shrugged, still looking down at her food, a slight blush tinging her cheeks. "I found a book in the library. I got curious."

"Right. Well, you've met your other dad, once," Lorelai said, setting down the cup. She clasped her hands in front of her, never having guessed she would be having _this_ talk in a _McDonalds_ , of all places.

"I did?" Rory said, finally looking up to meet her mother's eyes.

"Yes, when you were two years old. We went to Grandma and Grandpa Gilmore's Christmas party that year and he introduced himself. He'd had a little bit too much to drink so I didn't let him talk to you too long. He's been out of the state since then, as far as I know."

Rory nodded, dragging another fry through the ketchup in circles. "So, why don't I call Luke 'dad'?"

Lorelai sighed, pressing her hands together while she tried to think of an answer. "No real reason," she finally said. "I met him when I moved to Stars Hollow, and we got to know him as Luke, and after we got married it just never changed." She shrugged. "According to the law, you are his daughter, though."

Rory wrinkled her nose. "What does that mean?"

"It means that if I'm not around or if no one can reach me, Luke can make important decisions regarding you. Like, if he had to take you to the hospital or something. He's your dad in every way except he didn't, uh, help make you." Lorelai narrowed her eyes. "How much detail did this book go into, anyway?"

Rory ignored the question. "So why haven't you and Luke made more babies?"

"Uhhh," Lorelai gawked, thankful she hadn't started eating again.

"That's how it works, right?" she said. "A grown up man and a grown up woman can make a baby together."

"Yes," Lorelai replied, hesitating. She needed to get her hands on that book, stat, and find out what she was dealing with.

"So, why haven't you? Is that the reason we're going on this road trip? Luke didn't want to make a baby?"

"Oh my god," Lorelai groaned, letting her head fall into her hands.

"Because it would be really cool to have a brother or a sister, but I'd rather have Luke if we have to choose."

Lorelai looked up, and her heart broke at the expression on Rory's face. "Hon," she said softly, "we're not going to have to choose, okay? Luke and I needed to take a few days apart, like I said, to figure some stuff out. I can't promise you that everything is going to go back to the way that it was, but Luke cares very much about you and I know that he'll always make a place for you in his life, no matter what. Okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Rory replied, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Now, this delicious, not-Luke-approved feast is getting cold, so let's dig in before we press on to our accommodations for the evening, shall we?"

* * *

"Hello?" Luke called, walking inside the house. He hadn't noticed Lorelai's car in the driveway, nor heard from her since the day before when she'd locked herself into the downstairs bathroom after their argument. He felt bad about hurting her. He hadn't planned on ever telling her the reason that he'd proposed to her, that aside from helping out a young, single mother, he'd be removing himself from the rat race of love. "Lorelai?" He peeked inside Rory's bedroom. "Rory?" He started to panic. He ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and went into the bathroom. He knew if Lorelai had left she would have taken a few certain things with her, and when he opened the medicine cabinet his worst fears were realized. She had taken all of her moisturizers and potions, along with her favorite cosmetics. He dashed to the closet, and pawed through the mess on the floor, and was unable to find her suitcase.

He stood in the center of the room, hands running through his hair, his cap long fallen off in his rush up to their bedroom. While he stood there, desperately trying to think of what to do, he saw a gleam out of the corner of his eye. Both of Lorelai's rings, resting on a sheet of folded paper. "No," he murmured. He brushed the rings aside and picked up the paper with trembling hands.

 _Luke,_ it read. _When you gave me these I made a vow for better or for worse. And I fully intended to keep those vows, maybe forever. But when your dad was sick, he made me promise something else. That I wouldn't let myself get lost. Maybe he knew how things would go. How you would be. You've changed. So this is me, not letting myself get lost. If you decide that you'd rather not be married anymore, well, then. I will respect that. But I can't just be happy with half of you anymore. I'm planning to call Mia and let her know that Rory and I are safe. Lorelai._

"Shit," he muttered. He ran back downstairs, still clutching the note in his hand. He picked up the phone and dialed Mia's home number.

"Hello?"

"Mia, it's Luke. Have you heard from Lorelai?"

"Not since this morning… what's going on?"

"She left," he said, and the piercing truth made a direct hit into his gut.

"Left?" Mia repeated. "I thought you all went on vacation together."

"No, she left me," he said, and he felt himself becoming dizzy. He sank down on one of the kitchen chairs, dropping his head between his elbows, the phone in one hand and the note in the other.

"Left you? No, Lucas, you can't be serious."

"I'm serious," he said. "She left. There was a note and she took Rory and they left."

"Why on earth would she do that?" Mia wondered aloud.

"I may have… said some… things…" he admitted, cringing.

"Oh, Lucas," Mia chastised.

"In the note," he said, trying to think, "she said that she would contact you, let you know that they were safe. I need to know where she is."

"I'll try, but she may not want to tell me," Mia replied honestly.

"I know, but, I need to find her," he insisted, the desperation clear in his voice. He wasn't even sure why. Why he desperately needed her to come back home. As he hung up the phone, he felt a sickening churning in his stomach, like there was a hole that couldn't be filled. He should have known. After the things he'd said the night before, he couldn't blame her for leaving. He'd practically asked her to. He slumped to the floor, still holding the phone, hating himself.


	22. They Said You Were Leavin'

Once Rory's breathing grew deep and even, Lorelai snagged her purse and snuck down the stairs of the Cheshire Cat bed and breakfast. LaDawn was standing behind the check-in desk, scribbling in what appeared to be a large calendar book and humming to herself.

"Hi," she said quietly, and LaDawn looked up, giving Lorelai a beaming grin.

"Well, hey, there," she said warmly. "Where's that precious little one?"

"Sleeping," Lorelai replied. "Um, may I use your phone? I have to make a call and I didn't want to wake her."

"Local?" LaDawn asked skeptically.

Lorelai held up a plastic card between her middle and index fingers. "I have a prepaid calling card," she said. She'd picked it up at a gas station on one of their many stops along the way, just in case of an occasion like this.

LaDawn moved the phone up onto the higher part of the check-in desk, turning it to face Lorelai. "I'll just be in the other room, let you have a minute," she said.

Following the instructions on the little card, Lorelai was relieved when she finally connected. Mia picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?" she said, and she sounded guarded and worried.

"Hi, Mia," Lorelai said, and she gripped the phone tightly in her hands.

"Where are you?" Mia demanded softly, and Lorelai knew that she knew.

"We're at a bed and breakfast in Portsmouth," Lorelai said. "I think we're going to go sight-seeing tomorrow."

"Lorelai," Mia said, her tone brooking no nonsense. "Luke called me, honey. I know."

"Okay," Lorelai replied. What else could she say?

"What happened?" Mia asked gently.

Lorelai felt tears pricking at her eyes, but she blinked them back. "We said some things. We need some time apart."

"He's out of his mind with worry," Mia told her. "You should call him, let him know you're okay."

"It's not like that," Lorelai said. She swallowed hard. "We're just another obligation to him. He has enough obligations." She paused, and her voice was thick with emotion when she continued, "And I love him too much to make him choose."

"Oh, honey," Mia said. "He cares deeply about you and Rory."

"I know," Lorelai replied. But caring deeply wasn't enough.

"He wants me to tell him where you are."

Lorelai froze. She held the phone even tighter. "No," she said, shaking her head even though Mia couldn't see her. "I need some time."

"Are you sure you two can't just talk this out? You've been so good for each other."

"You know why he married me, don't you?" Lorelai said, and although she tried to sound accusing, her heart was too broken to commit to it. The pause that followed spoke more than any words could say. "So then, you know." A sob burst out of her, and she tried to push it down.

"Oh, honey, let it out," Mia said softly.

"I can't," Lorelai gasped, trying valiantly to hold herself together. "I have to stay strong, for Rory. I can't fall apart, not now." She took a deep breath. "He's just a man. Rory and I, we'll be okay."

"Lorelai, we both know that Lucas is more than just a man."

"I have to go," Lorelai said. "I'll call you in a few days." After a quick goodbye, Lorelai hung up the phone, and took a few steadying breaths. She wiped the few tears that had managed to fall, and went back to her room.

* * *

Several days passed, and Mia's patience with Luke was starting to run low. "I told you that if she gave me any clues to where she was, I'd tell you," she said for the umpteenth time as they spoke on the phone.

He was feeling incredibly sorry for himself. He pulled into a nondescript bar along the highway after another unsuccessful trip into Hartford. His former supplier of paint was going out of business because of the arrival of another Home Depot in the state, and now he wasn't going to be able to provide any for his customers, not at a price he could afford in the small amounts he needed.

"Hey," said a petite brunette, sitting down next to him at the bar. He held up his glass in greeting. "What's a handsome guy like you doing in here?" she asked.

"The business I inherited from my dad is going belly up, and my wife and kid left me," Luke replied succinctly. "So I'm having a hell of a week."

"Wow, that really stinks," she said, looking sympathetic. "Hey, buddy," she called to the bartender, "Let me buy my friend here another beer."

"Thanks," Luke said, toasting her when his new glass arrived.

"I'm Anna," she said, reaching out her hand.

"Luke," he replied, accepting the handshake.

"Tell me about your wife," Anna said, settling into her barstool. So Luke talked. He told her most of the truth, leaving out the fact that they hadn't been more than friends when they married, and that he'd essentially tried to run away from relationships by choosing one that seemed safe. Instead, he talked about throwing himself into step-fatherhood and the business, making a house and home for his new family. He bragged about how smart Rory was, and grew wistful remembering some of the good times with Lorelai. He stopped short when he got to the part about his father. It was still too fresh.

Anna listened with rapt attention, and it was nice, to have someone listen to him. A niggling thought in the back of his beer-soaked brain reminded him that Lorelai would have listened with equal interest, but he pushed it aside. As he trailed off, he stared into the dregs of his beer, feeling completely miserable, but somehow lighter for having gotten it all off his chest.

"So, do you want to come back to my place?" Anna asked abruptly, finishing off her beer.

"What?" Luke startled, whipping his head to stare at her in disbelief. "Haven't you been listening? I'm _married_."

She shrugged. "You said she left. I'm assuming you'll be getting divorced."

"Divorced?" Luke repeated, the words leaving a foul taste in his mouth. He hadn't even considered that.

"Yeah, that's usually the next step after your wife leaves you," she said.

"No," Luke said, standing up. "No, we can't," he said, starting to sound agitated. He stumbled a little. He wasn't completely wasted, but he was definitely not sober.

"You need a cab, man?" the bartender asked, and Luke nodded, holding onto the edge of the bar for support. Anna tried again to speak to him, but he held up his hand. He felt like a fool for thinking that she'd cared. He felt like even more of a fool for not seeing through it earlier. When the cab arrived, he tossed some bills on the counter and staggered away, falling heavily onto the cracked vinyl seat, his half-drunk brain trying to think of a plan to get his family back.

After the cab dropped him off at their little blue house, Luke walked up the porch steps and unlocked the door. He felt much more sober now, but he decided to sleep the remains of the alcohol off and start his search for Lorelai in the morning.

Not that he was able to sleep. He tossed and turned all night, alternately staring at the ceiling and at the alarm clock. He could still smell traces of her shampoo on the pillow, and it was slowly driving him crazy. When the first hints of dawn colored the sky, he was up and getting ready to put his half-assed plan in motion.

After splashing his face with cold water, he called Mia. He called her phone over and over like a madman until she woke up and answered it. "Mia, I need something to go on," he begged.

She must have been still half asleep, because she gave him a real answer for the first time. "Well, she mentioned they were in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but I'm not sure where they are staying—" But before she could say another thing, he'd hung up, and was already racing toward the truck, barely even fastening the seatbelt before he tore out of the driveway and toward the highway.


	23. I Take Two Steps Forward

Luke pulled open the front door of the bed and breakfast so hard, it nearly tore it off its hinges. He lunged forward, gripping the edges of the desk and pulling himself forward. The woman standing behind the desk paled, but straightened her shoulders, as if preparing for a brawl.

"I'm looking for Lorelai and Rory Danes," he said, breathing heavily with exertion and nerves. The petite woman raised her eyebrow, then dragged her finger down the Cheshire Cat's register. This was the twelfth place he'd checked, and he had been starting to get discouraged until he spotted their car in the parking lot of this cutesy little place. The decor was so un-Lorelai, he'd almost overlooked it. He hadn't showered, had barely slept, and was running on fumes. People kept sneaking glances at him, but he ignored them.

"No one by the name of _Danes_ has checked in," the woman said shortly. "Now please leave. You're scaring the guests."

Luke whirled around, craning his head in all directions. "I'm not scaring anybody. And you're lying. I know they're here."

"I said, no one by the name of—" Luke yanked the register out of her hands and she yelped.

"Damn it," he growled, as his eyes lit upon GILMORE, LORELAI AND RORY written neatly in the book. His heart began to beat erratically. Things really were that bad, he realized with a sinking feeling. He practically threw the book at the woman, who tried shakily to hold herself up.

"I'm calling the police," she said, reaching for the phone.

"No! Please," he begged, then took two long strides toward the stairs. "Lorelai!" he yelled. "Lorelai, come down here, I need to talk to you!" He swallowed hard. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! And your prison guard here is about to call the cops on me but before they haul me away you need to hear me out!" He gripped the end of the bannister tightly, feeling his heart pounding like crazy. "Lorelai, please!" he called out, his voice cracking on the words.

"Luke?" he heard her say softly, and his head snapped up. She was walking toward him, dressed in a Harvard sweater and Harvard sweatpants with a Harvard ballcap on her head. He smiled despite himself.

"Thank god," he said. He pointed toward LaDawn. "Please tell her not to call the cops."

Lorelai descended the stairs carefully. "It's okay," she said to LaDawn, who continued to hold the cordless phone to her chest like it was a lifeline. She turned her attention to the disheveled man in front of her. "What's going on?" she asked quietly. "Why did you come here?"

"I've been doing some thinking," he blurted. "And you're right, you're so right. I've been holding back, keeping you at arm's length. This whole time. And I can't do that anymore. You and Rory, you're my family now, and I can't screw that up. I— I love you. Both of you. You're mine. You belong to me, and I belong to you, and it took almost losing you to figure that out."

"Luke," Lorelai breathed, her hands covering her face in surprise.

"And if you want to have a baby, we can have one." He shrugged, somewhat talking to himself by this point. "We can have a dozen kids, do some weird Von Trapp family sing song or make a baseball team, or whatever weird fantasy you have cooked up in that crazy brain of yours." He reached for her hands, holding them tightly in his own. "Come home," he whispered. "Please."

"Okay," she said simply, and he grinned in relief. He pulled her closer and kissed her, trying to pour all of his love into that one kiss.

"I'm so glad you both worked this out," LaDawn said, "but I'd rather you didn't start on those babies right here in my foyer."

"Luke?" he heard a timid voice call from the top of the stairs. He pulled away to see Rory crouched up there, looking so hopeful it made his heart ache. What had he been thinking?

"Come here," he said, holding out his left arm, leaving space for Rory to join the embrace. "I want both my girls here."

She beamed, and practically flew down the stairs and into his waiting arms. He crushed both of them to him, kissing the top of Rory's head and nuzzling Lorelai's neck.

"Let's go home," he said.

Rory hadn't wanted to be more than reaching distance from either of them once they were reunited with Luke, and so, after a quick dinner, she'd insisted on sleeping in between them in the double bed, before they'd depart for Stars Hollow in the morning. As Rory's breaths deepened and her little snores filled the room, Lorelai rolled away from her, and crept into the bathroom. She had so many emotions roiling through her, she knew sleeping would be impossible. She sat down on the thin rug by the bathtub, and pulled her legs up to her chest.

The tears began to steak down her cheeks unbidden, and she felt like she could collapse under the relief and confusion that she was feeling.

"Lorelai?" his hoarse voice was a whisper as he slipped in through the door, letting out as little of the light from the bathroom into the main room as possible. He fell to his knees in front of her. "Lorelai, what's wrong? Talk to me," he pleaded, his warm hands reaching up and cradling her face.

"I'm just so…" she whispered, sniffling. "I've been so confused."

"Confused about what?" he asked, looking slightly worried.

"God, Luke, I've been hurting this week," she said, looking up into his eyes. They stared at each other.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly.

"Is this real?" she asked, bracing herself.

"Very real," he reassured her. He slid over to sit next to her, and held her while she finally let out all of the tears that she'd been holding inside for so long. He whispered soothing things into her hair, holding her close. By the time she's cried her last tear, she felt like a rag doll. Luke helped her up and slid her into one side of the bed. He moved to flank Rory's other side, but their hands met in the middle.


	24. Epilogue: Come On Baby, Let's Get Away

The celebration had taken over the entire town of Stars Hollow. Lorelai almost wondered if the entire thing had been ridiculous from the get-go, as they were legally married already. But their marriage ceremony before had been before the law, and was in name only. This marriage was of hearts and minds, and once Luke got it in his head that they should do it, nothing could deter him. It surprised her, this leaf he'd turned. It hadn't been easy, and there were still trials ahead, but she now had certainty that they would weather any storms _together_.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," Mia said, taking in the lush gown that Lorelai was wearing.

"Thanks," she said, twisting her body around in the full mirror that had been set up at Miss Patty's studio, letting the satin and tulle swish around melodically. Her hair was pinned up, her mother's tiara resting on her head. It was a far cry from the plain wedding dress she'd worn to the court house all those years ago. "How much longer?" she asked, trying to rein in her petulance.

"Only a few more minutes." Mia peeked out through the sliding doors. "Ooh, I see your parents, right there in the front row!"

Lorelai picked up her skirts and maneuvered over, teetering slightly on the heels she should have taken care to break in before today. She spotted Emily and Richard, looking pressed and primped as always. Her heart warmed to see them, particularly since they had helped so much with the ceremony. She knew that they weren't particularly thrilled with her and her choice of groom, but as time had passed, they'd come to a grudging agreement.

"It's time," they heard a voice say, and the doors slid open. Lorelai stepped out into the blinding sunlight to the strains of the wedding march, and the heads of everyone seated turned to face her.

Mia stood behind her, and squeezed her arm. "He's waiting for you," she whispered, and sure enough, Luke's face was tipped up, and their eyes met across the town square. She began walking toward him along the path that had been set up, a long white aisle stretching between the dance studio heading to the steps of the gazebo in the center of Stars Hollow. Her gaze didn't waver from his, holding his eyes strong and steady, feeling him draw her closer.

She got to the edge of the seating area, and paused to allow Rory to slip her hand into hers. They'd agreed that Rory would be the one to walk her mother down the aisle, since it would be a symbolic commitment, that now Luke would be her father in all the ways a man could be. The night before, Rory had confided to her that she planned to start calling Luke "dad", and tears had formed in her eyes at the simple gesture.

They walked up together, both former Gilmore girls beaming at Luke, his grin matching theirs. When they reached him, Rory took her mother's hand and reached for Luke's, joining them together. "Love you," she whispered.

"Love you, too," both of them whispered back, in unison, as Rory took her seat in the front row quietly.

They turned as Reverend Skinner raised his hands, and the music went silent, all the attendees sitting back down. "Most of you know that Luke and Lorelai are already husband and wife. They have come here today to rededicate themselves to each other, to their family, and to celebrate with everyone. As with life, love ends, but it can also find a new beginning. And here is what we present today, the start of a new beginning for this beautiful couple."

This time, after the vows were pronounced and Reverend Skinner introduced them again as Mr. and Mrs. Danes, Luke didn't hesitate. He dipped her at the waist, and planted a passionate kiss on her lips as the entire town whooped and hollered, both grinning as he pulled her back up to her feet.

* * *

The once-again newlyweds ran toward the waiting limousine, as townspeople tossed flower petals at them. Lorelai giggled, brushing them out of her hair, trying to keep up with Luke on her heels. He opened the door for her and ushered her in, and they practically fell on the soft leather seats, laughing and out of breath.

"I'm so excited for this honeymoon," Lorelai said, pushing herself up to sit properly on the seat.

"I guarantee you'll love it," he replied. He had kept the location of their honeymoon a secret, only promising sun and sand, and private quarters meant for a couple wanting to jumpstart the expansion of their family.

"I'm sure I will," Lorelai said, leering playfully at him, and tugging on his tie to pull him closer. He met her lips with a kiss, letting his hand slip up the skirt of her dress. "Oh! That reminds me," she said, pressing the call button on the side of the armrest.

"Hey, driver?" she said, then paused. "What's your name?"

"Mr. Smith, ma'am," came the disembodied reply.

"Really? Mr. Smith?" Lorelai asked, looking over at Luke, who shrugged.

"Yes, really. What can I help you with?"

"We need to make a stop to the pharmacy before we get to the airport," she said.

"Very well," the voice replied, and she let go of the call button, shifting back into Luke's arms.

"What do you need at the pharmacy?" Luke asked, letting his fingertips brush against her thigh.

"My prescription," she said, as if puzzled by the question.

"For what? Are you sick?" he asked.

"No, Luke, for the pill. Remember, that thing I take every day?"

"Oh," he said. "I thought we were…" he trailed off.

"You want to, right away?" Lorelai asked, and Luke nodded. Lorelai's smile grew into radiance. "Okay," she said happily.

Luke reached over her, and pushed the call button. "Never mind, skip the pharmacy," he said, and once Mr. Smith had replied to indicate he'd heard, he moved back over Lorelai, pressing kisses along the column of her throat. "I promise to knock you up as soon as possible," he murmured, kissing her again.

"We'll need lots of practice, then," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Let's get started, then," he said, grinning wolfishly.


End file.
